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CAPT. OI.UKR I'. M. SUUIRF.S 



CAPTAIN SQUIRES' 
COMMONODDITIES 

OLIVER P. M. SQUIRES 




BOSTON 
RICHARD G. BADGER 

THE GORHAM PRESS 



Copyright, 1922, by Oliver P. M. Squires 



All Rights Reserved 

.31 




■ la'^^^V 



Made in the United States of America 



Press of J. J. Little & Ives Company, New York, U. S. A. 

OCT 14 1322 

©C1A68G287 



CONTENTS 



FACE 



Imagination, or the Most of Me 7 

Twelve Years in Hell 14 

Little Jim's Request 26 

If 34 

The Discovery 36 

The Coming 38 

Friendship 39 

The Repaired Heart 41 

To My Companion — My Piano 43 

Can I Be Brave When I'm Afraid? .... 46 

Burning the Letters 48 

Blessedness 50 

There is a Grave — A Wooden Cross ... 52 

My Little Red Cross Nurse 54 

Ten Years Old Today 65 

My Mother's Old Piano 68 

I 



Contents 

PAGE 

The Two Letters ^o 

Then I Became a Soldier 76 

"I Have a Date, Boys, for To-Night" ... 78 

The Divorce Court 81 

I Went and Licked My Kid 84 

The Daisy 88 

The Thinker 91 

As Wide as Long 94 

That Family 'Cross the Street 108 

The Caller 112 

The Derelict 116 

The Inventor's Compensation 118 

I Sort o' Things Reviewed 129 

O Damn Those Wicked, Waggin' Tongues . 133 

I've Been Stingy 'Bout Religion 138 

The Devil Abdicates 141 

The Serenaders 147 

This is My Prayer to Thee I49 

A Captain's Thoughts 151 

Discipline 156 

2 



Contents 

PAGE 

About Face i6i 

The Slaying of — The Thing 165 

We Were Five, Mother and Dad and Us Three 

Boys 175 

Old Surly— My Dog 179 

The Picture 183 

To W. Z. S 188 

To James Whitcomb Riley 193 

The Power of Thought 196 

When I Used to Go to School 198 

The Fertile Field 200 



CAPTAIN SQUIRES' 
COMMONODDITIES 



CAPTAIN SQUIRES' 
COMMONODDITIES 

IMAGINATION OR THE MOST OF ME 

Herein dear reader I lay bare, 

"The most of me" to you I dare, 

In this confession to expose 

The best of me — and I disclose, — 

A multitude of good and bad — 

And honest like, the best I had; 

But if my thoughts and ideas live, 

I have perhaps much more to give^ — 

For deep — so deep within my heart 

Lie hidden, pleading that I impart 

To you — the things that dwell — 

'Tis with reluctance this I tell, 

But it seems I must obey desire. 

That leads my thought-steps far and higher. 

Than I to now have e'er presumed. 

To pluck from vines, the flowers unbloomed. 

With "Most of me" I now depart — 
From accustomed paths, a timid heart, 
Self-conscious brain and falling eye^ — 
For I have changed — no more do I, — 

7 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

No more do I fear that the critic's frown 

Will tend to keep my courage down; 

For I will have my spirits rise 

And look him squarely in the eyes. 

For criticism oft is just, 

One needs but follow and to trust 

Him of all for his intents, 

Are not so aimed that confidence. 

Should be so bruised and welcome death, 

Because he breathed his natural breath. 

No I expect that I shall be, 

Improved and helped by his scrutiny; 

I mean to have him show my flaws. 

Then FU repair the broken laws — 

And I would have him know that I, 

Recognized the man as he passed by. 



It is 'mongst friends — familiar friends — 
That confidence so reluctant lends; 
To see or know from where you came — 
Whence came your learning — your right to fame- 
Am I not right when I so state. 
That far from home one should elevate, 
For do not they through native eyes — 
More than your work they criticize — 
Your acts and deeds — even humble birth — 
Till one can eat his share of earth. 
Is it to friends one has always known. 
One takes himself when he feels alone. 
To find some cheer in his distress? 
No; but to those who know him less. 

8 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Some time has passed since early youth, 
Refused or could not grasp the truth; 
I am not young or yet so old, 
But time is ripe that I unfold, 
What I have thought and seen and see — 
What is no doubt "The best of me" — 
For there remains and seems to lurk, 
The saviour of man, the desire to work. 
And w^hen man by his efforts please 
Himself, 'tis then that others cease 
To be a burden. This is contention 
Or philosophical invention. 
When man looks down from lofty heights, 
And sees the great and lesser lights. 
Then he by rule habitually, 
Makes comparisons, that he may see 
Himself — to find his proper place — 
Then to maintain or speed his pace. 

What would — or could — a man not do, 
If he had the will; and if he knew 
That if himself he but believed. 
Duties would be more than half achieved. 
If he said — with confidence — I will; 
And determined that he would instill 
The words "I Will," he would invest, 
And in due time become possessed. 
Of cherished hopes so strong that he, 
Would reach his goal eventually. 

There is no path so mean to tread, 
As the lukewarm effort to get ahead; 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

Nor is there one so hard to please, 
As the unsatisfying life of ease. 
No man or men e'er gained a prize 
By looking on through envy's eyes; 
Nor will a man at all succeed, 
Who does not realize the need. 
And need is but a blazing fire 
That makes more brilliant his desire. 

When I started out I simply wished ; 

But soon I found I really pushed. 

Now wish and push must work together, 

Alone they wilt in any weather, 

But when determined they combine, 

No other two can undermine. 

Each proposition has its laws. 

Cause and effect, but mostly cause; 

Cause it is that builds the fire — 

That accounts for acts — and to inspire 

The mind, the soul and even heart. 

And conjunctively each do their part, 

And in relation assistance lends 

To bring about effective ends. 

God gave to man some useful tools, 
But did not supply the beasts and fools; 
As man is in His image wrought. 
He furnished him the tools for thought. 
They are but tissue. 'Twas His intent 
Man should assist their development — 
For God intended man to wield, 
This magic power over wood and field; 

10 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

He gave that man might rule the earth 

And decreed men equal at their birth. 

So if in quality the same, 

And only different in name, 

Man is simply man and is possest, 

With equal chances — like the rest. 

Environment however makes, 

Too vast a chasm and man mistakes, 

And allows his native intelligence, 

To confuse for lack of confidence. 

Don't call me coward, that would not do — 

Don't call me fool — though if you knew, 

I feel I am yet I disclaim 

Any such addition to my name; 

Don't call or think of me as such — 

For opinions often differ much — 

And if I pin my hopes to you, 

And follow and accept your view — 

And take for facts what may be true — 

If I did this would I not be. 

The very things you think of me? 

Should- man not work and persevere 

To do the task that to him is dear. 

And with a will — and too with might — 

When circumstances lead aright? 

Men cannot read themselves so well. 
To know what things within them dwell ; 
They cannot know — yet feel the fact, 
That drives them forward, and to act, 
Even tho some precedent has shown, 

II 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

The virgin rock a stumbling stone. 
What's written in the book of fate, 
Cannot be read until too late. 
Where is the man who is so wise 
Who sees himself thru future's eyes? 
No one can know — can only feel, 
The things with which he has to deal; 
But when some unknown power leads. 
He alone can claim — unowning deeds; 
For does he not but do as bidden. 
The will of this great power hidden? 

That which makes failure in a man. 
Is the not doing when he can ; 
Or when by no real effort tried, 
And has not used the means supplied. 
Failure is but to know" the cost, 
And in acquaintance with the lost. 
Just as to fail — is to confess — 
Tho be a step nearer success ; 
And as succeeding really bares 
A breast exposed to wounds and cares, 
Tho life sometimes is much depressed, 
At last is in great honor drest. 

I stand before you simply man — 

The same as you — for by a plan — 

We are by principles the same 

And only different in name. 

I do not claim the right to preach, 

Nor do I know how much I teach ; 

But have 'mongst circumstances found, 

12 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

Self-confidence is mostly sound. 

And self-reliance seems to be, 

A sure enough necessity. 

Without the two no man will know, 

Just when to start or where to go — 

By knowing these resultant thought 

Has self -subordination taught. 

I claim that we have many flaws — 

As have our statutes and our laws — 

But changes in these are always made. 

When imperfections are displayed. 

So man must work to find the route, 

By which he happier moves about; 

And though he goes from zone to zone. 

He travels generally alone. 

When one however proves that he. 

Is governed by sincerity — 

And has by perseverance hurled. 

His message to a sleeping world — 

He will when repetition shakes. 

See that his world at last awakes. 



Captain Squires' Coimnonoddities 



TWELVE YEARS IN HELL 

'Twas the fifteenth of November — I remember well 

the date — 
I was working in the stables and now 'twas getting 

late ; 
Tho not so late as I had thought — the clock showed 

only three — 
But because of the early darkness seemed later than 

that to me. 



Winter was coming earlj'^, a mixture of rain and 
sleet, 

Made walking most impossible as it crunched be- 
neath my feet; 

Trees had lost most of their leaves — nothing no 
more was bright — 

The beautiful hues of autumn had early taken 
flight. 



In the house the lamps were lighted tho still mid- 
after noon, 

A storm was surely on its way and would be there 
very soon ; 

Pigs squealed in their prisons — horses tramped and 
neighed — 

Cattle chased 'round the strawstack in half serious 
fashion played. 

14 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Chickens went to an early roost — for clouds made 

dark the sun — 
And all the farm's inhabitants seemed to know that 

day was done. 
Then just as I expected the wind began to blow, 
And the worst night of the winter came with its 

first fall of snow. 



Snow-flakes fell in blotches — like angry winds were 

blown, 
And against the doors and windows as if by hate 

were thrown; 
And stick it did just where it lit, half melted in its 

fall, 
And soon as far as could be seen was painted over 

all. 

Beating — matting 'gainst the fence till rose a drift 

of might, 
Clinging to everything exposed — all colors turned to 

white — 
Shapes however slender, even posts and grapevines 

grew, 
And soon lost their identity in an old world changed 

to new. 

That night — there came a summons from a neigh- 
bor who lived alone — 

A man who once was friendly and whom I'd always 
known. 

So with my family in the car — a little after eight — 

15 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

I drove through that storm and snowdrifts, then 
through my neighbor's gate. 



Nervouslj^ and awkwardly — like a man long lost 

from men — 
He began to tell his story — you should have heard 

him then ; 
I will try to tell the tale he told in the language 

used that night — 
The fifteenth of November — when the world was 

painted white. 



"Now friends Fll tell the reason why I have called 

you here — 
Tho it may not seem important like it did to me 

appear — 
I want to lay before you what for years alone I 

knew, 
After which I'll ask your counsel and advice on 

what to do. 



"I want you all to listen to a tale to all unknown — 
For the first time I will tell it tho twelve years have 

come and flown — 
Since I knew and it concerns me — all the details of 

a crime, 
But never have I disclosed it tho I've known it all 

this time. 

i6 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

"You may wonder — yes I thought so — on your 

faces it is clear — 
Ask no questions while I tell it — draw your chairs 

close to me, here; 
Make no move if you are frightened — only listen to 

me tell — 
Then you'll know and shun or pity one who's lived 

twelve years in Hell. 

"Once I had a friend who lived in — well that part 

I won't relate^ — 
He was unknown in this county tho he did live in 

this state; 
Seems some how it makes me nervous — talking to 

you people here^ — 
Telling you this tale, relating, why I walked twelve 

years in fear. 

"Twelve years this day — at midnight — our old 
fashioned door-bell rang — 

And it kept its clatter going with a bing-bang-cling- 
te clang ; 

Out of bed I sprang excited in my night clothes to 
the door, 

And a man — or something — stood there tho com- 
pletely covered o'er. 

"Of his features not a whisker — not an eyelid did 

he show — 
Head to foot he was enveloped all in black just like 

a crow ; 

17 



Captain Squires' Cornmonoddities 

'What can be your errand, mister, this late hour to 

my place? 
Step in where it's warmer, remove your cloak and 

bare your face!' 

"As he stood there — more I questioned — 'Are you 

hurt or fallen ill?' 
With the door so widely opened — lightly clad — I 

felt the chill; 
Still he stood there like a dummy — not a word his 

call explained — 
And I waited till my patience was extremely tried 

and strained. 

"As he answered not a whisper — not so much as nod 

his head — 
There came the weird suggestion, 'was this thing 

alive or dead?' 
Now I did not fear the living — feared no thing 

that drew a breath — 
But a mighty scare came to me, was I face to face 

with Death? 

"If 'twas Death that stood before me — why to me 

then had he come ? 
With no warning — save the clanging — with that 

hellish silent tongue; 
God on high — I said in anger — tho I shook with 

trembling fear — 
If this thing must pay a visit, why in hell has he 

come here? 

i8 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

*'I endeavored then to question but my body grew 

so numb, 
That my voice and jaws had failed me and I, too, 

was stricken dumb; 
Face to face^ — like mummies standing — he outside 

and I just in, 
Tho I could not speak a sentence I sure swore like 

hell within. 

"I was frightened and I never had been scared so 

much before^ — 
But I tried by inward cursing, drive that devil from 

my door; 
All I did was unavailing, then I changed and begged 

in prayer. 
And I asked the Lord to help me chase that thing 

a-standing there. 

"Never by a word or token — not once shake his 

head or nod — 
Then I thought I was rejected 'cause I cursed then 

called on God ; 
Fear struck deep her talons in me — chilled by cold 

and icy sweat 
Down my body ran like rivers till my clothes were 

wringing wet. 

"Shaking like one with the palsy I gazed with awful 

dread, 
To discover I determined if that thing was live or 

dead; 

19 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Back I quickly staggered, reeling — through the 

hood I saw, beneath — 
Staggering backward — stumbling — cringing; It was 

Death, I saw his teeth. 

"Where were eyes they now were missing — what 

was mouth was now a grin — 
And the grin of death -was on me — just outside and 

I just in — 
Then there came to me a madness — changed from 

what it was before — 
I remembered there was lying a long dirk beside the 

door. 



"Dirk or dagger — knife or car\'er — its long blade 

was oft admired, 
Useful only in a crisis and its use was now inspired ; 
Not by choice but circumstances — forced on me by 

extreme fear — 
And my mind crazed by excitement gave me leave 

to use it here. 



"Like the beauty of a serpent always was it to my 

eyes, 
I detested and abhorred it — always did that thing 

despise; 
Then I prayed — God give me power — help my 

weary legs to stand — 
Help me to no longer cower — give me strength to 

arm and hand. 

20 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

*'God forgive me — I am human — give me now the 
help I need, 

Give my cowardly footsteps courage so that I God 
can succeed; 

Tho my tongue no words had uttered — cloven, use- 
less, cold and stiff — 

I edged sideways — hoping — praying — thinking of 
but one word — if. 

"Nearing all the time the weapon — then its hilt I 

quickly grabbed — 
With one motion I un-sheathed it and that thing as 

quickly stabbed ; 
Twice and thrice I drove the dagger — human like 

it turned and ran — 
Tongue now loose I screamed defiance — screaming 

like the crazy can. 

"Quick to start he soon was flying and I followed 

quick and fast — 
But my strength already weakened could at best but 

seconds last ; 
Time and time again I struck him — then fell — ^my 

strength was sapped, 
It was then that I discovered, at the hilt my knife 

had snapped." 

Trembling and with great emotion, at the last 

word snapped, he raised 
His eyes toward the fireplace and upon the mantel 

gazed. 

21 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Tears streamed down his cheeks so hollow, and 

which had so deathly grown, 
Till now unlike the man I knew or that Td ever 

known. 



"There folks upon the mantel is William Shake- 
speare's bust — 

Now inside there is a hollow, it was there I quickly 
thrust, 

That old scabbard and the handle, then in crazy 
fiendish glee, 

I chuckled and I talked to him, so confidentially. 



"I felt that I had found a friend, who would my 

secret keep, 
Then dragged my weary bones up-stairs, to bed, but 

not to sleep ; 
Sleep never has been welcome ever since that awful 

night — 
It is then that I have nightmares which have filled 

my soul with fright. 



**Now today there came a letter from a lawyer in 

the West, 
And it says that in this manner has a friend of mine 

confessed — 
*Tho he is dead and buried, he arranged before he 

died. 
To show that he repented for an act unjustified. 

22 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

" 'He never hoped forgiveness — and tho he suffered 
too — 

He has left his every dollar and possessions all to 
you. 

And by this act — his last on earth — to prove his 
good intent, 

Bequeathed to you his property by v^^ill and testa- 
ment. 

" 'He told me all the details, hov\^ he came to you 

one night. 
And dressed for the occasion nearly killed his friend 

by fright. 
When he saw what had resulted — and knew he was 

to blame, 
He grew stiff he said, and rigid like and could not 

speak his name. 

" 'Now he asked that I be careful to get his story 

right, 
So I put it all on paper, what he said occurred that 

night; 
He said, tho you were frightened, you were scared 

no more than he — 
But he asked that I have you explain, "That dagger 

mystery." 

" 'He saw you sneak toward him — and he knew you 

were insane, 
He saw you grab that scabbard — the knife and then 

the pain — 

^3 



Captain Squires' Conunonoddities 

As you struck and drove that dagger he felt it cut 

and tear, 
And he said he thought of nothing but to get away 

from there. 

" 'Out through trees and bushes — he ran for more 
than life — 

He ran from you a maniac with a terrible murder- 
ous knife; 

He never knew you quit him — but from loss of 
blood and breath — 

He fell and with the knowledge — he was stabbed by 
you to death. 

" 'He felt his life's blood trickling from ever}' 

wound he bore. 
Then he became unconscious and of course he knew 

no more ; 
He came to in a farmhouse and some good farmer's 

wife 
Tried to learn why he had talked so much about 

some awful knife.' 

"Now friends there's the solution — I have asked you 

here to be, 
The judges and the witnesses that will clear this 

mystery ; 
That bust of William Shakespeare^ — I believe that 

it can tell — 
The reason why he did not die and me twelve years 

in hell." 

24 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

He took then from the mantel that plaster-of-paris 

bust — 
Then up into the hollow one hand he slowly thrust, 
With perspiration dripping, from that cavity he 

drew, 
The scabbard, and the handle, and what we all but 

knew. 

From the sheath he then extracted — ^just as if de- 
pended life — 
And laid upon the table a murderous looking knife. 



25 



Captain Squires' Cornmonoddities 



LITTLE JIM'S REQUEST 

There is nothing more ennobling this side of King- 
dom come, 

Than to see a father straining up his boy to be his 
chum ; 

There is nothing shows the character h'ke the atti- 
tude of youth 

To fraternize with father, for it symbolizes Truth. 



This tale is told of Little Jim and his worth while 

chum — his dad. 
And seldom are such partners seen — a father and 

his lad — 
But maybe Jim was different — he was not strong 

like some — 
And perhaps that had something to do with making 

dad his chum. 



Jim's father was a busy man and a little late that 

night, 
But they acted like — the boy and he — after long 

separation might; 
Their devotion if mere human came directly from 

the heart, 
And it seemed nigh to sacrilegious to watch them 

play the part — 

26 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

I should not say they played it — so unconsciously 

sincere — 
For it seemed like something sacred and yet does to 

me here. 
I had heard of such things rarely — such mutual love 

and joy, 
But it never came so close before as this father and 

his boy. 

Jim's blondish — curly — tangled hair was hair no 

comb could tame, 
His mother tho just loved it — his father's w^as the 

same — 
He had big eyes which were sky blue but a sadness 

lingered there 
That never seemed to go away — 'twas a soulful kind 

of care. 

After lunch Jim took his father's hand and led him 
to his chair — 

He wanted to ask a favor he said — in a pleading 
kind of air, 

Then shy like he hesitated but he climbed upon his 
knee, 

And in his father's face he looked — so sad and wist- 
fully. 

"What is your little favor Jim? Don't be scared 

my little man, 
You know that I will grant it if a human being 

can — 

27 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

You know Jim there is nothing that I would not do 

for you — 
Whatever you or mother want — I surely will put 

through." 

Then Jim with voice so quiver>' asked a favor of his 

dad, 
The hardest proposition that he had ever had — 
''Next Sunday I'm to join the church — I want you 

to go along — 
I want you to be there with me — and when they 

sing the song — 

"You take hold of my hand and I'll take hold of 

yours — 
Then we both will join together and when the 

preacher pours — 
You wipe my face to make it dry — and I will dry 

yours too; 
Wasn't it a teeny favor, dad — that I wanted to ask 

of 5'ou?" 

Little Jimmy's father sat with wonder in his eyes — 
He heard that little favor asked with pained and 

shocked surprise; 
The boyish — baby frankfulness that clothed his 

small request, 
Was mingled with the innocence with which his 

prayer was drest. 

He could not know how deeply had his little ques- 
tion cut — 

28 



Captain Squires' Comnionoddities 

He could not know the magnitude that it had grown 

to, but — 
Of course he could not answer no — nor could he tell 

him yes — 
Tho he^ — himself — tho then unknown, thru Jim 

God came to bless. 



Sometimes it takes a childish voice unthoughtful 

minds to teach — 
Sometimes it takes a little child an untouched heart 

to reach ; 
Just a little touch of innocence can change a path 

long trod. 
From a thoughtless or indifferent one to the right* 

eous one of God. 



As it takes but little sunshine to melt the falling 

snow — 
And just a gleam of innocence the proper way to 

show — 
It was Jimmy's proposition that brought his dad the 

thought. 
To grant his little favor was to do the thing he 

ought. 



Jim's father was commercially a man of good re- 
pute. 

His heart was just and kindly — no woman, man or 
brute — 

29 



Captain Squires' Comrnonoddities 

With whom he came in contact had reason to 

complain ; 
Tho exacting it was with reason and with un- 

superior mien, 

He mingled with his workers — in esteem and high 

respect, 
Was held by all who' knew him — which he could 

by right expect ; 
Regarding matters of the church he lent no active 

hand, 
He believed but since his childhood days had felt no 

stem demand, 

For his presence or influence — or himself an example 

set, 
That was calling for all the prominent as it is calling 

yet. 
But allowed his wife the burden of religious themes 

the teaching. 
To Sunday-school she always went and always 

stayed for preaching — 

And taught each day the little feet of his only son 

the way — 
And taught him early in his life how to worship and 

to pray; 
He stayed at home and smoked his pipe and read his 

paper thru — 
In divers ways he passed his time as thousands like 

him do. 

30 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

He never felt he needed help that un-seen powers 

teach — 
Or spiritualistic lessonSi — those which the pastors 

preach — 
But regarded it their business — from professional 

point of view, 
To try outshine each other as 'tis often claimed 

they do. 

*'He knew the competition that bordered close to 

hate — 
And jealousies — 'twixt the varied sects^ — that 

blocked the common gate." 
He reasoned too and honestly — for in morals he was 

clean — 
"He knew of members of the church who used it as 

a screen." 

Unselfishly — unenvious he allowed them go their 
way — 

His soul yet knew no strengthening — ^with pro- 
crastination lay — 

As migratory as the fowl that goes from zone to 
zone, 

His thoughts would wander here and there like 
before the winds were blown. 

Unassembled and unsettled, his future was un- 
solved — 

He refused to think on any thing that beyond 
the grave involved. 

31 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Of no denomination, established sect or plan, 
But claimed that his religion was, being just to 
every man. 

However now a shadow came — and dark across his 
w^ay — 

He saw strange visions in the night and with him 
thru the day — 

He heard a little trembling voice — he saw a plead- 
ing face, 

And before it he was powerless — it followed every 
place. 

Himself he could not understand why he lost his 
appetite — 

He knew of no disorder that kept him awake at 
night — 

But changed he was and worried and like a shrink- 
ing coward, 

He fought to free himself from that which held him 
overpowered. 

The days passed on and Saturday had come and 
passed away — 

'Twas a terrible kind of suffering that he bore 
throughout the day; 

That night he feared to face his son whom he cher- 
ished more than life, 

Suspicious of conspiracy he avoided too his wife. 

Jim had his little bath and then, so clean and fresh 
and bright, 

32 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

He hurried to his father to kiss and say good-night ; 
With self-control he drew his boy closely to his 

breast, 
But could not speak for bursting was the pressure 

in his chest. 

Without a word he kissed his boy and with his eyes 

closed tight, 
He muttered unintelligibly when he would have 

said good-night; 
Then when his wife and boy had gone^ — and alone, 

there by a chair — 
He made that great confession — he talked to God in 

prayer. 

There was many a glance that Sunday morn towards 
Little Jimmy's pew. 

For besides Jim's loving mother was Jimmy's father 
too; 

For people always notice — that's why the promi- 
nent should — 

Set the right example for it tends to make folks 
good. 

So Little Jimmy's favor was just like all the rest — 
It was granted by his father and so both of them 

were blest ; 
They joined the church together and when they 

sang the song, 
Jim smiled and winked at mother — for father was 

along. 

33 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



IF 

If the fullest circumstances of each man were fully 
known — 

And we could see the produced crop from the seed 
that he has sown ; 

If the details of his actions would the real truth 
reflect — 

And before us lay conditions, and we could these 
inspect — 

If opinions could be traded for facts so we would 
know, 

What a mass of grief and troubles would the expo- 
sition show. 



If masks of smiles were brushed aside and man's 

very soul lay bare — 
And his conscience and thoughts could be exposed to 

the purifying air, 
If hearts could be extracted and with leisure we 

could scan — 
What surprising revelations would confront the 

eyes of man. 



If it were a crime for thinking thoughts of im- 
morality — 

And if thoughts were all in concrete form so that 
every one could see ; 

34 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

And if against the statutes of the state this were a 

sin — 
And if we had institutions to lock all these within, 
Think how vast would be the acreage and how long 

the prison wall, 
To receive and guard the sentenced and to house 

and shelter all. 

If you were called to view the friends who had 

gone on before — 
And if heaven and hell were side by side — ^just a 

step from door to door, 
And then you looked in heaven for those friends so 

dear to you, 
And you were told by angels there — of your friends 

— they never knew — 
Then surprised you stepped across the way — ^just to 

be satisfied — 
And in hell you saw them standing — trembling side 

by side — 
What a shock it would be to you and your confi- 
dence so rare, 
To see them not in heaven — but in hell awaiting 

there. 



35 



Captain Squires' Conunonoddities 



' THE DISCOVERY 

When I first gazed into your face, 

I felt so strangely weak — 
And I heard a little silent voice, 

Urging me to sjDeak: ; 
You were I knew no stranger 

That I'd never known before, 
And I felt — what seemed a promise 

Of just what was in store. 



I knew at last I'd found you — 

Tho you had never guessed, 
And tho I'd been so long denied, 

I knew I now possessed 
The answer to my yearning — 

At last there came to me, 
Just the thing that I had pictured, 

In human reality. 



I guessed that you had recognized. 

My every move and thought — 
And tried to avoid detection — 

By others being caught. 
For nothing is one half so plain — 

Or so difficult to hide, 
As the secret of admiration — 

Or thoughts so drest in pride. 

36 



Captain Squires' Com?nonoddities 

And too I feared that what I felt — 

Would cause unguarded look ; 
Revealing by move or gesture — 

And disclose an open book. 
I vrondered then as I do now, 

If what I feel is shared — 
And if in hearts of all the hearts — 

That you have ever cared. 

When you are gone — and far away — 

When you I cannot see — 
I'll wonder if you are thinking, 

Or ever have of me; 
'Tis then I'll wonder — for I do 

More than you'll ever know — 
Hide love beneath a countenance, 

Where eyes can never go. 



37 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



THE COMING 

Out of the No Where — Into the world — 

Into a greater life — 
Out of the darkness with flag unfurled, 

From oblivion and petty strife. 
Into a day of a brighter sun, 
He comes like a blast of a morning gun. 

Out and away from his self-cramped soul — 

Into a world of bliss; 
Into a world of a higher goal, 

From a dungeon dark to this. 
Out of a world of bleak distress, 
Into a world of earned success. 

Only his efforts and ambition's light — 

Backed by hope and pride ; 
And a knowledge that day is but half night. 

But he did his best and tried. 
Only a man but he knew the earth, 
And he dug in a spot that promised worth. 

Only to prove that labor is drest — 

Clothed in a robe of deeds ; 
Work of the kind that he liked best, 

And the planting of fertile seeds. 
Into the world came success to console. 
To prove that destiny — men control. 

38 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



FRIENDSHIP 

No one would ever have believed 

The half I deeply feel; 
No one could ever have conceived 

The vrounds that will not heal. 
There is no mortal move I make, 
But what reminds of some mistake. 

There is no one who ever erred, 
Who knows more than I learned ; 

There is no one who ever cared 
To have what I have earned. 

There is no one who ever sought, 

Or dreamed the things that I have thought. 

I never had a single friend — 

But what that friend have prized; 

Nor ever did I just pretend, 
By acts or thoughts disguised. 

If you but knew I never swerved 

When mutual confidences served. 

Some may have thought me hard to please — 
When they some wish implored — 

They might have found some way to ease, 
A mind not in accord. 

But if they failed, was I in fault 

If I withstood their mild assault? 

39 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

I feel that I am but a bush — 
That friends can friendly shake ; 

And I will grant each little wish — 
And each his toll may take — 

For have I not to each one shown 

To have me is to forever own ? 

And never did I friend desert — 

I value more than gold ; 
Nor by intent have ever hurt, 

But try to win and hold. 
I never understood the man 
Who does not keep them if he can. 

But it is true my friends depart — 
Those whom I'd love to keep; 

And like a dagger in my heart, 
It cuts both wide and deep. 

But if we never knew the night, 

We could not then so love the light. 

To show that I appreciate — 

My friends I thus caress ; 
Forgetting thoughts akin to hate, 

And ask our God to bless. 
And if you cannot understand, 
Let's walk and think — we hand in hand. 



40 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



THE REPAIRED HEART 

It may be that your cause was just — 

I have yet to apprehend ; 
And it may be when ground to dust, 

An injured heart will mend, 
If it again rebounds in me^ — 

Then I will gladly take 
And with the strength of sympathy 

Receive for old times sake. 



Before the altar worshipping, 

I begged the light to show — 
To tell me of each and every thing, 

That I had a right to know. 
What caused you leave your work undone^ 

Turn traitor and unkept 
A vow — desert work just begun, 

While the unsuspicious slept. 



For reasons — and best known to you, 

Ungrateful from the start. 
You did not see your journey through, 

But broke an honest heart. 
Alone I've wandered o'er the path. 

Where we so often walked — 
In solitude and harbored wrath 

I reasoned and I talked. 

41 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

I held my tongue — no bitter word, 

Some day you would explain ; 
The deed that caused my blood to curd, 

Upon the sands of pain. 
Not for the crime that you have done — 

Not for deep disgrace, 
Nor yet because another won — 

And better fills my place. 



The wound that caused my blood to flow, 

Is healed and calloused now — 
Of this I wanted you to know. 

When it came about and how ; 
She came to me when April shed 

The cold and winds and snow, 
And when she came thoughts of you fled, 

Her voice was sweet and low. 

With hers — your face could never cope, 

And loving, kind and true — 
With her you'd have no chance or hope, 

Against those eyes of blue; 
I wish you luck — my will will read, 

I will thank you publicly; 
For your great act — for your great deed, 

That you have done for me. 



42 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 



TO MY COMPANION— MY PIANO 

Dear old piano if you but knew what great respect 
I have for you — 

Could you but know how much I prize and see your- 
self as thru my eyes; 

If you could hear my praises true, 'twould be a 
compliment to you. 

O good old piano could you see emotions rise and 
fall in me, 

And understand and truly feel that which I hold 
for you so real — 

Even tho unheard, no words of mine could praise a 
friend more genuine. 



What friends we've been since early age found me 
beside you to engage 

You and your services — then bound and what com- 
panionship we found. 

Remembering struggles, what despair — ^what dis- 
couragement and care; 

How we have labored — we alone, your sympathetic 
heart of tone, 

Has been an influence so rare that none can with 
its worth compare. 



Since I first came a little boy, the soul of you has 
brought me joy ; 

43 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

So true has been your vibrant chord, as close com- 
panions we have pored 

As if together we would reach to learn and then 
each other teach. 

I learned in time your worth adore and with the 
time I loved you more, 

To me you are so really real, I know your smile, I 
seem to feel 

A fidelity more staunch and true than I dependent, 
could to you. 

Good old piano, you have stood more than your 
maker thought you would ; 

With all my cruel and rough abuse and thoughtless 
and without excuse — 

You humored when I seemed to ignore the consid- 
eration bargained for. 

Like some mistaken mother sees her offspring err, 
it is to please. 

And when I did so rudely pound, you made my 
scales and chords to sound 

As if real music when I knew, all melody was due 
to you. 

When despair so often seized my mind, great com- 
fort I would always find ; 

You seemed to know I was depressed — had by some 
unknown power guessed. 

Think of efforts, work and tears, through all the 
long and tiresome years. 

Years of practice, yet I progressed, mastering details 
till I possessed — 

44 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

As I Improved, you seemed to, too, though new to 
me the old to you. 

Now as I ramble o'er your keys what was so diffi- 
cult with ease^ — 
And when I travel slow or fleet, your tone is mar- 

velously sweet — 
And comes to me like chiming bell and holds me in 

entrancing spell ; 
Your liquid voice, how it inspires and comforts soul 

and all desires. 
Thanks, good old piano, you have taught what I 

have learned, that which I sought — 
You taught and helped ideals rise, still help the 

doubtful neutralize; 
Far more than human friend could be, my good old 

friend of harmony. 



45 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



CAN I BE BRAVE WHEN I'M AFRAID? 

O am I brave when I'm afraid 

When I am awful scared, 
To try some stunt some kid has made, 

Or follow where he dared — 
Can I be brave when I won't try 
To climb up trees ever so high ? 

Can I be brave when I won't try 

To climb to beam or rafter, 
In some old barn way up so high — 

And listen to their laughter — 
If I should fall my life I'd lose, 
Can I be brave when I refuse ? 

Can I be brave when I'm in fear 

To run away from school ? 
For of course my mother — she would hear — 

Would not I be a fool ? 
Now wouldn't I be a silly goose, 
When I couldn't give a good excuse. 

Do you think that it's brave or fair 

To pick on kids — or hurt 
With hard snow balls or pull their hair. 

Or to pepper them with dirt? 
Do you think they're brave^ — who think it's fun 
To scare little kids or make them run? 

46 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

One day there was the meanest bunch 

Of bigger boys than I — 
And I just sort o' had a hunch, 

As some little girls came by ; 
When with the girls those kids got smart, 
I sailed right in and took their part. 

I told them first to let them be — 

And what I'd surely do; 
Then they left the girls and jumped on me- 

But believe me 'fore they's through — 
They found out that it wasn't fun — 
I made that whole bunch quit and run. 

The teacher says in Sunday school — 

'Tear, boys, to do wrong" — 
Then has us say the Golden Rule — 

Then we sing another song. 
But what I'd like so well to hear — 
Can I be brave when Fm in fear? 



47 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



BURNING THE LETTERS 

The task is done — the task dreaded the most- 
Though I knew some day it must be ; 

I destroyed by fire my friends by the host, 
And friends who were faithful to me. 



One by one — with much sadness I gazed — 

And admiringly gave a caress — 
And then each one by the flames was razed ; 

And it seemed like a sin I confess. 



I saw the flames so greedily reach, 
And draw to its maw with a roar — 

Like watching a ship in distress from the beach, 
Being hurled by the waves from the shore. 



Friends I have known — in reality dear, 
Who brought me a message of love, 

And made me feel so happily near. 
Like sentiment sent from above. 



Years have passed — for years I have held — 
And priceless I valued them all ; 

But the time at last came and I was impelled. 
To destroy them, though bitter as gall. 

48 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Tears I have shed, and laughs I have had, 
When I read — in seclusion review^ed — 

Sometimes I'd be happy and then I'd be sad, 
As something forgotten renewed. 

Farewell good friends, I'll never forget, 
You were and remain much to me; 

I prized you always and I prize you yet, 
With loving sincerity. 

Good-bye old letters from friends of the East, 
From the North and the South and the West; 

Your love is secure, I love none the least. 
You are on my memory pressed. 



49 



Captciin Squires' Commonoddities 



BLESSEDNESS 

There's a feeling nigh to aching, 

As I think of you to-night ; 
And my heart seems nigh to breaking, 

Though there is a strange delight — 
Coming o'er me as I wonder. 

And o'er It long I ponder 
Till It seems I see you yonder 

Through the darkness of the night. 



Through the dark I seem to see you — 

Though I know that I do not; 
In my mind there Is a clear view, 

Of the land forget-me-not. 
Forget-me-not, your choicest flower. 

Often have I heard the name ; 
While we passed a sweetest hour — 

Now like you I love the same. 

Things like these are always clearest. 

When wMth you some way connect; 
And so often do they, dearest — 

And just when I least expect. 
When 1 walk along the road-side. 

Or when driving in the car. 
All at once it seems my thoughts glide- 

And before me, there you are. 

50 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

You're the sweetest recollection, 

Of what was and yet exists; 
When alone in retrospection, 

Your dear image still persists — 
Often do I see with clearness, 

Though your visits all are brief — 
I am cheered so by your nearness, 

That it neutralizes grief. 

To me grief is but a sister, 

Like a twin to happiness ; 
One is with us then we miss her^ — 

Then the twin has come to us. 
You have caused me oft to wonder, 

And on this I often ponder ; 
Then I see you way off yonder, 

And I call it blessedness. 



51 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



THERE IS A GRAVE— A WOODEN CROSS 

Where battles raged and trenches ran — 

Where hearts have ceased to beat; 
W'Tiere hopes once fell and rose again, 

Where past and future meet, 
There is a grave — a w^ooden cross — a number or a 

name, 
Which holds all but the memory of my son's heroic 
fame. 



Where men once stood in battle line, 

Where souls have taken flight, 
Where stood the profiled son of mine. 

Outlined upon the night. 
There is a grave — a wooden cross — a number or a 

name, 
WTiich holds w^hat once was mortal and a patriotic 
flame. 



Where flowers now bloom — the cold winds blew, 

Its song with icy breath — 
The song whose words became so true, 

The prophecy of Death. 
There is a grave — a wooden cross — a number or a 

name. 
That holds the silent listener — an immortal son 
became. 

52 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Where fallen has my soldier son. — 

There let his body lie ; 
Where he heard the roar of bomb and gun — 

Where he went so far to die. 
There is his grave — a wooden cross — a number or 

his name, 
Where his presence is his glory — his unquestioned 
right to fame. 

But give to me from oif his grave, 

A little sacred sand — 
'Twill closer bring my boy so brave. 

Just a bit of France's land. 
There from his grave — his wooden cross — a number 

or his name, 
That glorified his memory and sanctified the same. 



53 



Captain S<juires^ Commonoddities 

MY LITTLE RED CROSS NURSE 
The Wounded Soldier s Story 

You have asked me for a story of the doings "over 

there" 
But I know so verj^ little, I do not think j^ou'd care, 
For what I would have to tell you — though of 

course some fellows do 
Have just all kinds of anecdotes and some are really 

true. 



But I don't know — I never was much good at tell- 
ing things — 

But if you folks will pardon me, I know of one that 
brings 

To me a lot of sadness — and I hope some day to see 

The subject of this story, if that can ever be. 



We never had a real chance to do things over 

there — 
You know sometimes I really thought we were not 

treated fair — 
And I have heard that generals felt just the same 

as I, 
But they, of course, could understand and knew the 

reason why. 

54 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

We were not to blame for being blue, for we had 

real regret, 
But finally at Verdun w^e got our chance^ — but yet — 
The part that I, myself, displayed, compared with 

some, was small ; 
So naturally I hesitate to talk of it at all. 

Yes — we surely did go after them — I remember 
laughing loud. 

At the scared looks and expressions, for we had 
those Germans cowed ; 

But we had only started after waiting for a year — 

For I was long with Pershing when he told La- 
fayette, ''We're here!" 

I saw but little fighting for something sudden 

came — 
And I guess that you will understand that I don't 

feel quite the same, 
And I don't look just as I did when I started out 

that day — 
But that's another story — and I was going to say — 

I remember when we went forward of going on the 

run — 
And really it was comical, — though I would not 

call it fun ; 
Then I never knew what happened though I guess 

I just fell out — 
Even now I can't quite understand just how it came 

about — 

55 



Captai?i Squires* Commonoddities 

I never knew how I was hurt, nor did I know how 

serious, 
For mostly I have been told I was more or less 

delirious; 
Then came a time and so it seemed, I would come 

and then I'd go, 
In and out and back and forth — a sort of to and 

fro. 

Already I felt home-sick for it seemed for months 

I'd lain, 
And had suffered quite a little, with something kin 

to pain; 
To heal up wounds — such as I had — does take a 

little spell. 
But time went altogether, too slow to suit me well. 

I never had been sick before or knew just what it 

meant, 
To ever get down-hearted or to suffer discontent ; 
But I'll own I did get peevish when I finally came 

to, 
To learn that I was sick in bed, and that I might 

"pull through." 

"Pull through" I thought, "Gee Whillikens" what 

do they think they've got? 
Some kind of a weakling, or what — I wondered 

what; 
Then I started in to tell them, but when I tried to 

speak, 

56 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

For the first time in my life I knew, what it was to 
feel weak. 



It seemed my voice was soundless and my tongue 

was stiff and thick, 
I was I knew as helpless as a "dough-boy's swagger 

stick" 
I knew — I thought — just where I was, the room 

was cool and light, 
And it seemed I was at last awake, from a century 

of night. 



I looked about — although my eyes, to hold them 

open, hurt. 
And for all the world they felt like they were just 

chuck full of dirt — 
I saw long rows of iron beds — "Some convention 

come to town. 
They are putting them in the corridors, in the lobby, 

up and down." 



And then I seemed a little child — I felt so strangely 

young — 
And it seemed I heard a lullaby that I'd often heard 

and sung ; 
'Twas just a childish ditty that came and went 

away. 
Then I saw some kids — some youngsters — with 

whom I used to play. 

57 



Captain Sguires^ Commonoddities 

It had been some time since I'd romped about — 

seemed good to play once more — 
So it was, indeed, with a happy heart that I raced 

out through the door; 
In and out it seemed I went — till tired at last I 

lay, 
And I heard my mother talking, she was telling me 

to pray. 

So with heavy lids and aching eyes, I said that little 

prayer — 
That children say and soldiers, too, they say it 

over there — 
"Now I lay me down to sleep, I ask of God my soul 

to keep ; 
If I should die before I wake, I ask of God my soul 

to take." 

Kids often came to visit me — kids I actually had 

known — 
They stood beside my bed and stared — I was sick 

and all alone — 
But I enjoyed their visits and I know I tried to 

smile — 
And then they'd go but back they'd come, every 

little while. 

Their familiar smiling faces — though sometimes 

they were sad. 
Remained the sweetest memory up till then I'd ever 

had; 

58 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

And though you may not understand, they brought 

more love and tears 
Than I had known in all my life, nigh on to thirty 

years. 

Days went on, then at last there came a cheer that 

haunts me now; 
And if I ever can forget, I swear, I don't see how. 
I waked one morn and 'possum-like, I lay so still, 

like dead ; 
And I felt the gentlest fingers moving gently o'er 

my head. 
I felt the bandage lifted with such heavenly kind of 

care 
That I wondered if it were a human or an angel 

working there. 

For bending o'er me stealthily, but bending o'er me, 

stood 
A thing that God invented and He made His patent 

good ; 
For in this world no duplicate, but He could e'er 

devise, 
And I watched and studied closely, through playing 

'possum-eyes. 

I watched and felt her gently touch and smooth my 

whiskered cheek, 
I saw a worried face and brow and lips that seemed 

to speak ; 

59 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

And then my face was gently bathed — and though 

asleep I feigned — 
'Twas by surprising effort from a smile or to speak 

refrained. 

That wonderful expression, on a face just full of 
pride, 

And so bravely independent — as if the world de- 
fied— 

But listen, here's a secret; that nurse I am proud to 
own 

Was an Indiana schoolmate — a girl I had always 
known. 

Imagine now if it were you — and think folks, but a 

breath, 
Was trying to hold together and was keeping you 

from death ; 
Imagine, then, it is the link that you have come to 

know 
Was holding, holding, holding; refusing to let go. 
I don't know how to tell you but listen till I've 

told 
How a single breath was welded to another breath 

to hold. 

I lay upon my pillow and I saw a worried face — 
I saw a changed expression and a new one take its 

place ; 
I saw a look in her blue eyes — I saw a love sent 

start, 

60 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

And I knew that some discovery had quickened that 
girl's heart. 

I felt her fingers on my brow — my hair was back- 
ward smoothed — 

I felt her lips then gently touch — I felt my being 
soothed — 

I felt my body being soothed and throughout my 
being went, 

I felt the cobwebs being smoothed from my brain — 
I was content. 

But not for long — I lay there intending soon to 
sneak 

Another look o'possum-like and then to smile and 
speak ; 

I waited and I waited — till at last no movement 
heard — 

No sound of footsteps moving — not even a whis- 
pered word. 

At last I grew impatient — though determined still 

to lie, 
For I knew that she'd be coming to see me by and 

by; 
An hour went and through the day I looked and 

hoped in vain 
Till it grew into a torture^ — a terrible kind of pain. 

The pain was new and different — it made me heave 
and sigh — 

6i 



Captain Squires' Cornmonoddities 

Sometimes I would feel like laughing and again I 

would almost cty ; 
But with sad heart and aching I would my secret 

keep — 
With the shades of evening falling, again I went to 

sleep. 

Sleep came to me and also dreams, but healthy 

dreams they were, 
And all that night it seemed I dreamed and I always 

dreamed of her; 
She it was that hovered — and hovered always near — 
Always smiling happily and it seemed she knew no 

fear. 

Once she came away out there — out there amongst 

the smell — 
Away out where the game was — then the bursting 

of a shell 
Scattered dirt and death around us, but out there 

all the while 
Was the Red Cross and my secret with her "How- 

are-you-this-morning?" smile. 

I knew I dreamed — I knew it — though my dreams 

were passion wrought. 
They were always dreamed half conscious and close 

to guided thought. 
Then morning came and through the day, until 

again came night 
I lay in bed and worried, seemed to know things 

weren't right. 

62 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Then followed days and I was nursed by other ones 

in turn — 
And always I expected some news of her to learn — 
And they were kind — and they all are^ — I cannot in 

my praise, 
But do honor and give credit, when I have a chance 

to raise 

My voice it is to honor all those girls who gave so 

much — 
And it's likened to His garment when a Red Cross 

hem I touch; 
So tireless, kind and loving that all of us who know 
Will forever sing their praises wherever we may go. 
And it is next to sacred when with calmness I 

review. 
For God Himself knows only the worth of what 

they do. 

But friends perhaps you'll gather that my nurse I 

saw no more — 
Whom I'd learned by meditation, her very soul 

adore ; 
But a surgeon told me afterwards when I had 

stronger grown, 
Just the thing I had imagined — ^just what I might 

have known. 

That she was the mechanic who had by expert care 
Made close to the impossible, but refused herself to 
spare ; 

63 



Captain Squires^ Cormnonoddities 

He said that she, when she was told I had a chance 

so slight, 
Declared she was determined to put up an awful 

fight, 
That if I had a single chance, she would help that 

chance to win^ 
Then she tackled the condition — the fix that I was 

in. 

No use to tell you further, it is evident that I 

Was by her devotion rescued — she would not let me 

die; 
But when she saw what she had done and knew I 

was to live, 
She learned what it had cost her — what she was 

forced to give. 

She applied and got a transfer and though I started 

late, 
I decided that I'd travel some — I will visit every 

state — 
And every other country — for this world is not so 

large — 
And I don't care to settle down since getting my 

discharge — 
For a while I'll play detective and I'll search until 

I've found 
That little nurse who made me and my whole world 

go 'round ! 



64 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



TEN YEARS OLD TODAY 

This is the day that you were born — 

Ten years ago today ; 
Early in the hours of morn, 

Outside was cold and gray. 
I remember well the night before — 

There by the shining hearth — 
Throughout the night we waited for 

The minute of your birth. 



We watched the clock hands slowly creep — 

Till God would set you free ; 
There was no time for rest or sleep — 

But filled with sympathy — 
With fear and care akin to pain 

We waited through the night — 
And hoped expecting much to gain — 

That you and all be right. 



Just as the sun — its face arose — 

You came and worry flew ; 
I cannot tell — for no one knows — 

How proud we were of you ; 
You were a boy — ^with skin so fair — 

Your mother's wish complete^-" 
Big eyes of blue and curly hair, 

And O so cute and sweet ! 

65 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

How happy was your mother, lad — 

So proud was she of you — 
With her added care — no other had 

More than she to do. 
Then when at night we would retire 

To well earned sleep and rest — 
And I had fixed and banked the fire — 

And asked that all be blest — 

Often in the stilly night — 

From soothing slumber weaken — 
Sometimes from hunger or from fright, 

Or with some illness taken — 
You'd wake us all up with your yell — 

You ordered — we obeyed! 
How often I could never tell 

That she your fears allayed. 

Listen, lad, and learn to think — 

When danger 'round you trod — 
Sometimes with life close to the brink. 

Your mother worked wuth God 
And saved your life — to her you owe 

More than you can repay — 
But much it is — I would have you know 

And remember from this day. 

You are but ten — and young in years — 
Let this your mind impress — 

Never cause your mother tears, 
Nor from this rule digress. 

66 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

When years have passed and you are grown, 
Your friend will be your mother ; 

Remember boy — you'll never own 
Such a friend in any other. 

Love your mother well my lad — 

Some day you'll miss her face — 
And thoughts of her will make you sad, 

No one can take her place. 
Come, dry your tears, ten year old boy — 

I am glad you understood — 
To see those tears would be a joy — 

They would do your mother good. 



67 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



MY MOTHER'S OLD PIANO 

That old piano in the hall 

Was my mother's dearest treasure — 
From the time when I was very small, 

It was her greatest pleasure. 
A good musician — mother sang 
A melodious soprano — 
And when she played — great music sprang- 

From that big, old square piano. 



From many — many miles around, 

Folks came to hear her play ; 
They loved to hear the music sound — 

Those near and far away — 
They came to hear my mother sing 

Old songs in sweet soprano — 
And her wonderful accompanying. 

On that good, old square piano. 



When I was grown I often heard — 

When from the fields returned — 
My mother singing like a bird, 

Some song by heart had learned. 
And O the sweetest melodj'^ — 

Tho changed — still sweet soprano — 
In perfect tuneful harmony, 

With her big, old square piano. 

68 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Now when she died she willed to me — 

Her music and diplomas; 
A few old dishes and — let's see — 

Books and a couple of chromos. 
She also willed her mother's shawl — 

And of course — that old piano — 
But she could not leave the best of all, 

Her voice — that sweet soprano. 

For twenty years I have watched with care, 

That sentimental treasure ; 
With it no value can compare — 

Or in any manner measure. 
But if I could play a single chord. 

Upon that old piano, 
I'd give great wealth — then ask the Lord 

To help me sing soprano. 



69 



Captain Squires' Comtnonoddities 



THE TWO LETTERS 

A mother waited patiently as they are wont to do, 

Her sun had sunk considerably for her life was 
winding through — 

Her allotted years — three score and ten — and cheer- 
ful, brave and kind, 

She waited for a loving son in Ireland had left 
behind. 

She lived in far America with a daughter that had 

wed, 
But was never quite contented for her thoughts 

were always led, 
Back across the briny sea — to the land of Shamrock 

Green — 
The fairest land to mother that she had ever seen. 

The songs of native country, the rocks and winding 

stream, 
Woul^d burst in visions mighty; and memories 

'round her seem, 
To carry back to yesterday and her wrinkled face 

would smile, 
At the thoughts she knew were fancies, of her dear 

old Emerald Isle. 

She attended church on Sunday — and often went to 
mass; 

70 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

She knew most all the children where she was wont 
to pass. 

They learned to love this dear old soul — this stran- 
ger in their land — 

And often walked beside her, a-holding of her hand. 



Into her sad — though kindly face — they peered and 
wondered why, 

This dear old soul so different, though smiling 
seemed to cry ; 

And tears so hot and burning rolled— 'twas impos- 
sible to tell, 

Just why or for whom in sympathy — they so sad 
and loving fell. 



I have seen her take a ragged waif and press it to 

her breast — 
I have seen her gaze toward the sky and ask that it 

be blest ; 
Then wipe its little soiled cheeks with fond and 

loving care, 
Then close her eyes and make the cross and murmur 

words of prayer. 

She always seemed like a lonely flower, some neg- 
lected garden grows, 

Which bows its head beneath the sun and smiles 
when a cool wind blows ; 

Which seems to live expectantly and hoping hour by 
hour, 

71 



Captain Squires' Conimonoddities 

That the winds will bring it food and life in cool 
refreshing shower. 



She lived it seemed so buoyed by hope, she laughed 

when she was, sad ; 
By making others happy, she thought that she was 

glad, 
But deep beneath her smiling face — so far you could 

not see — 
There was a tugging at her heart that caused great 

misery. 



A card had come addressed to her — 'Twas written 

in his hand — 
He'd enlisted in the army and was now in Verdun 

land. 
He was fighting there for righteousness and for the 

good Old Sod — 
She should not worry only hope and keep her faith 

in God. 



She felt — she feared he would do this — her boy so 

strong and brave — 
Could not refuse when he was called to help his 

country save; 
Of reproach she never had a thought, for the son 

whom she adored, 
But she feared for both himself and her — though 

her faith was in the Lord. 

72 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Day after day, night after night dragged over its 

weary way — 
She watched for the man who brought the mail, but 

"No letter for you" he'd say; 
The war then gripped with deadly hand — her life 

was pulling out — 
Though she often wondered, she never knew, what 

the war was all about. 

She heard that thousands fell each day and her 

soul was filled with dread, 
That he had fallen and was lost — she feared that 

he was dead. 
At last one bright and sunny day her mind was put 

to rest — 
Had ever a mother so happy been, was there ever 

one so blest? 

There came for her two letters — poor soul she 

saw but one — 
And by the familiar writing knew 'twas from her 

soldier son; 
The other fell upon the floor and beneath a chair 

it lay, 
As if fearing to tell its message or at least a while 

delay. 

God in most wondrous ways performs — the de- 
voutly pure he shields — 

And His power of loving watchfulness for the weak 
and feeble wields, 

n 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

And protects from needless cruel blows, gives 

strength to mind and heart — 
Yes even of the loving old does He become a part. 

The letter read "Dear Mother, I have won a Vic- 
tory — 

I have seen that glorious Prince your Christ that 
walked on Galilee; 

"The war has brought me close to Him — He leads 
us in this fight, 

Just as God led before His birth the Armies of the 
Right." 

"No need my darling mother to shed one tear for 

me, 
I am so happy in your faith — it is sure reality." 
.'There is but little danger dear — (O pardonable 

lie — 
If she could have seen where her son stood, where 

thousands daily die.) 

"Say for me some little prayer when you this note 

have read" 
Smiling and in her hand his note, they found his 

mother dead. 
Once again in a wondrous way, God gave a fond 

caress. 
And saved that mother and allowed her to die in 

happiness. 

They found the other letter where it fell beside the 
door, 

74 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

And with eager gentle fingers the soiled envelope 

they tore, 
And opened up the missive; were surprised to say 

the least, 
When they saw that it was written by his regimental 
priest. 

This letter read — "Dear Mother — Sad news I 
break to you — 

"But please be brave until you read this little let- 
ter through; 

"Your son has gone to Heaven — for he has won 
the right — 

And he left us Dearest Mother as he bravely led 
the fight; 

"Please do not grieve too much I pray — and your 

boy asked me to state. 
That over there he'd watch for you — and patiently 

would wait — 
"Proud you may be the mother of that courageous 

son; 
"To have given birth and reared that man, has 

God's Greatest Honors, won." 



75 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

THEN I BECAME A SOLDIER 

Written February, 191 7 

I have heard the sound of firing of a thousand 
roaring guns 

In my mind I see the marching of a million invad- 
ing Huns ; 

I have searched beneath the surface — I have dug 
deep in the earth, 

And have found the stolen secrets of the country of 
my birth. 

And it makes my heart to shudder — and my mind 
grows tense and strong, 

At the thought that we have nourished those who 
planned and did us wrong. 

I have read deep in the future where un-done deeds 
are moored. 

And have heard conspiring voices — laughing as our 
sides were gored ; 

Torn as with shot of cannon and with sword and 
bursting shell, 

They have used their fiercest pieces, brought from 
the pits of hell. 

And it makes my blood go boiling and I grasp my 
brand new gim, 

And I swear I'll learn to use it 'gainst the treach- 
erous, cruel Hun. 

76 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

They have builded there a temple and have called 

that temple Powder — 
They have watched the massive pillars rise, and 

finished saw it tower — 
Above all countries round about, until at last there 

came — 
What they considered good excuse to set the world 

aflame. 
Then they started out to conquer and they acted 

as they thought, 
They were the chosen peoples and were led by "Me 

and Gott." 

In our pity for the stricken lands — our wounds 

were left undressed, 
While we lent our aid and sympathy to the weak 

and much oppressed; 
Then we learned how we were suffering — when our 

sores began to run — 
So we joined the side of righteousness that lasting 

peace be won. 
We will bear our wounds and sufferings and we'll 

storm the Teuton's wall, 
So that Justice and Humanity may forever govern 

aU. 



77 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 



''I HAVE A DATE, BOYS, FOR TO-NIGHT" 

I have a date, boys — with a friend — 

I can't stay out tonight; 
To disappoint I don't intend — 

That's neither fair nor right. 

I promised, boys, that I would meet 

This little friend of mine — 
And I will see her face so sweet — 

Just as the clock strikes nine. 

Excuse me, boys, I'd like to stay 

And have a little game, 
And no one better likes to play — 

But I have a little flame 

Who will await my coming, boys — 

I've said I would be there — 
And no one lives who more enjoys 

A nice, big, easy chair — 

And to hold my girl upon my lap — 

To hold her close to me. 
To feel her heart-beats thump and tap. 

And mine in harmony 

Answering back each little beat — 
Is a joy as from above — 

78 



Captain Squires' Co mm on oddities 

To feel her breath so warm and sweet — 
You're right, boys — I'm in love. 

You guessed it, boys — I don't deny 

That I am smitten hard — 
To see her face you would know why 

No billiards, pool or card 

Could make me break a date with her— 

And she's a lady who — 
Can make me feel just like a cur 

Before an ev'ning's through. 

She is so nice^ — the way she calls 

Things to my attention ; 
She makes me see the deep pit-falls — 

Though careful not to mention, 

A single thing that might offend — 
She seems to know that we — 

Don't like to hear from our best friend 
Even in sympathy, 

Words of advice^ — for well we know 
The proper paths to tread — 

But she shows me the way to go. 
And all the rocks ahead. 



She does not scold or cry or fret, 
But with her face a smile, 

79 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

And she has never made a threat — 
So I like the lady's style. 

My wife — of course she knows about- 
Although I 'most forgot her — 

But free your mind of any doubt, 
For it's my little daughter. 



80 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 



THE DIVORCE COURT 

I sat inside a crowded room, 
'Mongst people gathered there, 

With anticipation full in bloom, 
On faces harsh and fair. 



I saw young men still in their teens, 

And girls of tender age, 
'Mongst those familiar with the scenes. 

Enacted on this stage. 



I saw the leer of hardened man, 

The painted harlot bold — 
One knows the members of that clan. 

And needs not to be told. 



I saw the gathering as a whole^ — 
My eye the assemblage swept — 

And my inner mind did so condole; 
With pity for them wept. 



I saw the judge from chambers come, 
And calmly take his seat — 

His presence hushed the noisy hum, 
And ceased the shuffling feet. 

8i 



Captain Squires' CojtimoTwddities 

I heard the testifying, 

Of each witness on the stand ; 
And justice was relying, 

On imaginations fanned. 

I had no doubt perjury bold — 
If not lies were close akin — 

Selling souls — alteady sold — 
By magnifying sin. 

I saw a mother listening, 

Like a tiger 'bout to leap. 
At the wielder of the lash whose sting, 

Cut reputation deep. 

I saw a little child of three, 

To its mother tightly hold — 
It could not understand or see. 

What the voice of future told. 

Or why their presence in this place, 

Nor of its mother's shame; 
But wonderment was on its face, 

And in trouble just the same. 

I saw the lawyers pick and pry, 

The witnesses to trip; 
With tongues sarcastic, saw them try 

By laying on the whip. 

82 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

A court of justice this was named — 

Exploiting others' sin — 
One hesitates then feels ashamed, 

When he once gets within. 

I sat among the curious crowd, 
And felt a mild remorse — 

Was by the judge's verdict bowed, 
When he granted the divorce. 



93 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



I WENT AND LICKED MY KID 

I'm a-feelln' sad this evenin' — for I went and licked 

my kid — 
And I'm sort o' sad and sorry like for what I went 

and did; 
Time had come when all my lectur'n' to that boy 

he would ignore — 
So I figured when I did it, 'twas my duty — nothin* 

more. 
But I'm feelin' kinda guilty — ^just as if I was to 

blame — 
What was meant for good 's a boomerang to my 

conscience just the same. 



I have always been particular 'bout the actions of 

my boys — 
And have always tried to teach them to have a little 

poise; 
And not forget that other folks deserve a little 

thought — 
To be careful 'bout their carryin' on's — to do things 

as they ought. 
But I'm feelin' sort o' sneakin' for what I went 

and did, 
For I gave my boy a lickin' — I went and licked 

my kid. 

84 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

I have always sort o* hated folks who rule their 

kids through fear^ — 
And have said that folks who did that way, should 

have no kids to rear; 
That sometimes 'twould be a lesson if God would 

let them die — 
Then to the brutal parents, explain the reason why. 
I couldn't see how they stood it^ — to such harsh 

means employ — 
But to-night I went and did it — ^went and licked 

my boy. 

I took him to the bed-room and I said, "Now take 

a chair" — 
He didn't think I'd lick him — least he didn't seem 

to care; 
I said, *Tm goin' to lick you, and I'm goin' to 

make it sting" — 
But when I went to do it, I couldn't find a thing. 
I fin'ly saw my razor strop; "That was the thing 

I'd use"— 
But 'twas tied fast to the door-knob, and I couldn't 

get it loose. 

That caused exasperation — and I turned away to 

smile — 
With that darned kid a-settin' there a-watchin' all 

the while ; 
I didn't dare to look at him — he seemed so much at 

ease — 
Like he might be enjoyin' it and was tryin' hard to 

please. 

85 



Captai7i Squires^ Commonoddities 

Then I became self-conscious — him settin* there 

so cool — 
So cool, composed and patient, and me actin' like 

a fool. 

But still I worked a-pickin' at that stubborn knot — 
The more I worked on that darned thing, the 

tighter the thing got; 
I fussed and blushed and worried — embarrassed 

half to death — 
Then got mad at that blamed thing and noisy 

gettin' breath. 
All het up — still workin' just as if depended life — 
When Gosh ! That kid, he handed me his gol- 

darned rusty knife. 

With that I'll own, I did get sore — I'd teach that 

boy to scolif — 
I gave that strap an awful yank, and the blamed 

door-knob came off; 
Straight at me that door-knob came and Oh ! right 

'bove my eye — 
And hurt. Gee-whiz! How that thing hurt — so 

much it made me cry. 
But I had the strop, and then I said ; ''Don't think 

you'll get away, 
You're goin' to get that lickin' yet, you're gettin' 

too bloomin' gay." 

Well he got a sure 'nuf lickin' — but I'm not feelin' 
right— 

I feel just like I'd been in some disgraceful, low- 
down fight. 

86 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

My eye is black, so I stay home — inside most all 

the while — 
While the rest of the folks — even that kid — look 

wise and kinda smile. 
It ain't no way to punish kids and I'm sorry as I 

can be; 
It's in-human, cruel and brutal. That's how it 

seems to me. 



87 



Captain Squires* Comrjionoddiiies 



THE DAISY 

Once there was a daisy grew, 
In a field remote from every view; 
Alone It thrived Jn a fertile spot, 
Unknown by all though not forgot. 
As It unfolded maturely blown — 
It could not know that God had sown 
And decreed that It should live alone. 
It flourished though beyond the wood, 
Unknown — unseen In solitude. 
Its little life was lonesomeness — 
It never knew a fond caress — 
It never knew It could take no part 
And never dreamed it had a heart, 
That throbbed and beat In rhythmic style- 
Though sadness mingled all the while — 
And melancholy its whole life through, 
A lonesome sweetheart daisy grew. 



It never knew the hand of man, 
It never saw a sprinkling can 
Its thirst to quench or face to spray, 
No help received artificially, 
'Mongst neighbors not in harmony; 
Ungainly thistles crowded near. 
And stock of milkweed too lived here- 
And ragweed — ragman of the earth 

88 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Usurped the land of the daisy's birth. 
Here too lived stone and immense rock, 
Which by their hugeness seemed to mock, 
And ivy rank and clinging vine 
Their uncouth neighbors would entwine, 
But the daisy bowed its pretty head, 
Closer to its secretive bed 
And its heart in very sadness bled. 

The sinking sun at day's conclusion, 

Shone pink and red with great profusion, 

And showed the master of the day 

Was moving on its circuitous way. 

Then darkness came like a magic sheath, 

And covered all on earth beneath; 

Then this brought forth the insect's song — 

More lonesome made and the night prolong — 

The croaking of the gutteral frog — 

The barking of a far ofF dog — 

To hear these sounds that the darkness drew 

More lonesome seemed — and it would to you- 

To be alone in a lonesome land, 

No friend or kin to press your hand. 

And here at night 'midst falling dew, 

A lonesome sweetheart daisy grew. 

The little daisy bowed its head 

Low and lower over its bed, 

While the falling dew like chilling rain 

Its little life began to pain. 

'Twas ever thus by the stronger cowed — 

Resistance useless so it bowed — 

Through all the night this little flower 

89 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Bent with the tears of a dewy shower. 

As morning came of another day, 

And night had passed upon its way, 

Our little friend with clean washed face 

Smiled at the sun with flowery grace; 

And then the sun espying the dew 

Proceeded to show what it could do 

And beat with fierceness — of air not a breath — 

Sultry and hot and withering, was it Death? 

Never a sign of cool winds blew, 

Here where our sweetheart daisy grew. 

Sad was our daisy's little life. 

Devoid of happiness, so full of strife; 

What hope had it if its life retain — 

In lonesomeness and saddened pain, 

But hearken to this my last refrain. 

The sun its fiery shaft had spent, 

As if in wonder fulfillment 

Of some mighty duty — nobly done — 

Then disappeared the master sun. 

Storm's mighty wrath and rushing fast — 

Tornado's warning before it cast — 

Soon covered all and darkness came 

Like Noah's flood in Jehovah's name. 

The wind with fury rent and tore, 

All things that lived on earth before — 

Here in the field of the loneliness — 

That surely God had come to bless 

With all his power of righteousness; 

So that all who come may pause to view, 

The spot where our sweetheart daisy grew. 

90 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



THE THINKER 

O list to the voice of the murderous clang — 
Forever 'tis sounding its terrible bang — 
Like sounding the knell when one is to hang; 

And I think — think — think. 

for music — sweet music — to sound in the air — 
To drive from my mind the monotonous care — 
That relentlessly shackled my soul with despair — 

And I think — think — think. 

It is better to think — for thinking is life — 

And I think of my children — I think of my wife — 

1 think of old labors — not knowing — called 

strife — 

And I think — think — think. 

I think of the deed that has sentenced me here — 
That took me away from all that was dear — 
To a mixture of hells and perpetual fear — 

And I think — think — think. 

I think of my home — the place I was born — 
The orchard — the meadow — the green fields of 

corn — 
The by-ways and pathways our foot-steps have 
worn — 

And I think — think — think. 
91 



Captain Squires' Common oddities 

I think of my mother — I loved her so well — 
O what did she say when she heard that I fell — 
And that I was sent to this terrible hell? 

And I think — think — think. 

It is said there's a God — I am wondering now — 
It it's really the truth — for I cannot see how — 
But I like to believe and my mind I allow — 

And I think — think — think. 

If the gates of the prison were opened today — 
And I were given my choice — to go or to stay — 
My freedom or prison — O what would I say? 

And I think — think — think. 

Would I walk out a free man before 'twas too 

late — 
Or stay in the prison and suffer my fate — 
O help me decide — your answer I wait — 

And I think — think — think. 

what would I do — if my freedom I found — 

1 would look as I felt — my conscience would 

hound — 
I would jump as afraid of every sound — 

And I think — think — think. 

Who would give me a job — in a factory or farm — 
Would not they be frightened I'd do them some 

harm — 
Then drive me away for some fancied alarm? 

And I think — think — think. 

92 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

I am hardened to this — my body alone — 

My children to men and to women are grown — 

My wife if she lives — no more would she own — 

And I think — think — think. 

My mother no doubt — long years has been dead — 
God bless her dear soul — let peace be her bed — 
O had I but followed the path where she led — 

And I think — think — think. 

why do I think — there are seventeen more^ — 
With what I have served — makes one and two 

score — 
With twenty- three free ones I'll be sixty-four — 

And I think — think — think. 

1 am thinking that God might send forth a dove — 
With a message explaining — from His home up 

above^ — 
Explaining — exactly — what Christ meant by love^ — 

And I think — think — think. 

O listen they're shutting the ponderous door^ — 
With its vibrant — metallic — its clamorous roar — 
Some wretch of a human — they're making secure — 

And I think — think — think. 



93 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



AS WIDE AS LONG 

Where the sunny side of evening sets its face behind 

the trees, 
By a slowly moving river — ever dimpling with the 

breeze — 
There's a church-yard rich in legend — far behind 

the world's fast pace, 
Back to past and front to future, lying weirdly face 

to face, 



With a village old and fabled — once the home of 

Indian band — 
Till the ever coming white man forced them west 

across the land ; 
Buildings old and weather beaten — seemed to look 

as always there — 
Unkept lawns with natural beauty neither showed 

neglect nor care. 



Yards extended into neighbors' and the grass like 

carpet grew — 
Seemed to tell as does the Scriptures — do just what 

you'd have me do ; 
Varied rose and other bushes vied with holly-hock 

and such — 
It suggested desecration for one uninvited touch. 

94 



I 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

People moved in lazy fashion — with no cares it 
seemed to be^ — 

Out of date in eyes of strangers and of quaint sim- 
plicity ; 

Religious mien^ — devoutly trusting — pastor — church 
and God as one, 

Unspoiled by sect as one they vt^orshipped when 
their weekly work was done. 

From surrounding hills and forest — oak of massive 

growth and beech — 
Shadows came and mystery whispered — length 'ning 

arms appeared to reach 
From the heart of brambled thicket — from the 

gnarled and gaunted sage, 
Rearing weirdly as if defying time and man despite 

its age. 

If you happen in your travels — and you reach the 

highest land, 
You will see the village nestling in the palm of 

Nature's hand; 
In a cup — and with a handle through which the 

river flows, 
Disappearing in its bending 'round a hill it slowly 

goes. 

Gurgling — rippling — onward ever, traveling faster 

at the falls — 
Murmuring — singing — mournful always, gliding on 

where Nature calls; 

95 



Captain Squires' Co?nmonoddities 

f 

Like one sits alone at evening — like the river's flow- 
ing dream — 

Revievi^Ing thoughts of joy and sadness, flowing 
slowly down the stream. 

In the church-yard we were standing — by a grave 

as wide as long — 
Here we read an odd inscription — inspired words 

of simple song; 
Curious then to point of wonder — then we heard 

the tale unfold — 
Heard an old time native tell it — heard a strange 

tale — strangly told. 

Lengthy start will be omitted leading to the house 
of death — 

Commencing only with the passing, — stilled for- 
ever heart and breath ; 

Here beside a creeping river — here where earth and 
heaven meet — 

Here was told the simple story that I now to you 
repeat. 

You have heard of mothers loving children born of 

her and part 
Of her real living being, sharing both her mind and 

heart ; 
We can understand that ending — what must mean 

when stealthy death, 
Severs soul and life from body, quick and silent at 

a breath. 

96 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Mother's grief is not surprising — and her story has 

been told — 
On a page in God's great day-book it is writ in 

purest gold ; 
It is said that God endowed her more endurance 

than was man — 
Proves the wisdom and completeness and the vast- 

ness of His plan. 

Listen to a father's story — devotion greater too, he 

sought, 
Unmindful of the price he lavished more affection 

than he ought ; 
Trained he had his eye and senses — 'round about 

his son entwined 
Hopes and visions were enveloped, in an image were 

confined. 

Do you think that 'twas intended — like a miser 

hoards his gold — 
Thoughts to narrow ways confining, leaving empty 

wisdom's mold? 
Mature man who lives the broader, broader views 

and bright conceives 
Shadows dark, illumed by knowledge — likened unto 

Autumn leaves. 

Love's devotion or heart's possession though immor- 
tal must control. 
Passions for the life that's mortal — it contains a 
fleeting soul ; 

97 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Centre not a mind that's flexing — let it scatter, bend 

and sway — 
Bowing to the will of sorrow is but throwing life 

away. 



* 



"Closed the door, did Neighbor Hawkins, then he 

walked to me and said — 
Go in Bill, 'tis you he's needin', for Little John is 

dead. 
Good God ! I felt a-chokin' — I could not move or 

speak — 
Like a pup that's scared I quivered and I felt about 

as weak. 

Right at Hawkins I kept lookin' — then I saw big, 

mannish tears 
Down his rugged face a-runnin' — like they hadn't 

done for years; 
Though we knew young John was goin' — and that 

God his soul would take, 
We knew when he stopped breathin' that old 

John's heart would break. 

All the peace of Old John Taylor — ev'ry hope and 

all his joy, 
Like a sheaf of wheat were folded — held together 

by that boy; 
'Twas the same way with the youngster — just to 

be a pal was born — 

98 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

And just when he stopped his growin' from his 
father's side was torn. 

Now Old John — he was an orphan, where he came 

from no one knew — 
To himself such things he guarded — all he said 

was guarded too ; 
I'm afraid that I can't tell it — as the story ought 

be told — 
For the tellin makes me trembly since with years 

I'm gettin' old. 

It is then I'm like a baby — ^when my feelin's get 

me down — 
Like the playin' of an organ, I don't want to be 

aroun' — 
But when no one is lookin' — then I like to hear it 

play, 
I have had a heap of trouble that makes me act 

this way. 

To that task I felt unequal — ^the smoothin' of that 
blow — 

That to Old John was so crushin' — ^what to say 
I didn't know, 

But I went inside the house then and I had always 
tried 

Bein' 'round in times like this was — when neigh- 
bors were sick or died. 

I went in and tried appear like — I was come there 
to console — 

99 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

But somehow I couldn't think of things to say to 

save my soul ; 
Old John just kept a lookin' and when he turned 

his head 
I felt a whole heap better with that old man and 

his dead. 

That death had so upset me that I could but little 

give, 
Grief like that — there's no forgettin' if a hundred 

years I live ; 
Many times I had been able — cheer some husband, 

child or wife, 
For the first time I was failin' in my sixty years of 

life. 

Death is harsh on any person — one can't know until 

it comes — 
But 'twas worse than cruel to Taylor for his boy 

and he were chums. 
One would counsel with the other — then they'd be 

each other's pal — 
I had known no case just like it and don't think 

I ever shall. 

Now the date was set for Sunday and the funeral 
was to be, 

In that church there in the valley — a place most 
dear to me ; 

Many years I there attended — my wife and chil- 
dren lie 

lOO 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

On that hillside by the river and I hope to when 
I die. 

From the way Old John was actin' we felt some- 
thin' sure would come — 

What 'twould be there was no knowin' or where 
'twas comin' from; 

But his eyes, they looked like danger and another 
thing was plain, 

I was scared that he'd go crazy for at times he 
looked insane. 

Now were comin' friends and neighbors and out- 
side they clustered 'round — 

Claspin' hands and noddin' greetin's — as if 'fraid 
to make a sound ; 

Show respect for both they wanted — for the livin' 
and the dead, 

Seemed they'd caught a touch of sorrow and nothin' 
could be said. 

A crowd came — then the preacher — and folks from 

miles away 
Gettin' there had walked and driven — and 'twas 

nice that Sabbath day; 
This boy and his old father had been liked as few 

men are, 
And it seemed that ev'ry body was their friend 

both near and far. 

Then arrived the time for leavin' and this part I 
sure did dread — 

lOI 



Captain Squires' CoTmnonoddities 

From the house the body takin' — the movin' of the 

dead; 
What it means you well remember — even though 

you're reconciled — 
When you see them back the wagon for a mother, 

wife or child. 

For to hearts already burstin* comes a lowerin* — 
settlin' gloom, 

And is mighty heavy restin' when they march away 
from home; 

Taylor's face was yellow ashy when they hid com- 
plete his son, 

And I thought his labor also was pretty nighly 
done. 

He watched them close the coffin and he writhed — 
it gripped his soul ; 

I was watchin' and expectin' — God surely helped 
control 

His mind and all his functions — then a thing so 
strange he did — 

"Take out those screws, he ordered — and now re- 
move the lid." 

Then with lit up face and features, out through the 

hall he walked — 
He asked them to forgive him, but in master fashion 

talked ; 
"There will be no funeral here today; I ask you 

all to go away — 

1 02 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

I think though friends, after tonight, you'll see my 
aim; it is my right." 

Back he came with eyes a-flashin' — and to those 

remainin' said, 
"I'm not goin' to let them take him — he is still 

my boy though dead; 
Leave me now for time is flyin' — tomorrow you 

may come — 
I have got some private business with John my 

little chum." 

The like was never heard of — it seemed far more 

than grief — 
His puttin' off the funeral was most beyond belief; 
Old Hawk and I kept watch that night — and no 

stranger night could be. 
And we witnessed things I reckon that but few 

men ever see. 

That night it stormed and thunder rolled across an 

angry sky — 
Lightning crashed and spit and struck all around 

us, mighty nigh ; 
Old Hawk and I though not afraid of lightning or 

thunder — 
Had some mighty snaky feelin's — we couldn't help 

but wonder^ — 

About the storm we wondered — the wind it howled 
and roared, 

103 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

We could see by lightnin' flashes and it seemed the 

heavens' poured ; 
But Old John, he never noticed — through all that 

storm he sat 
Of far deeper things was thinkin' than what we 

worried at. 

'Twas two o'clock — the storm had passed and rain 

dripped from the eaves, 
The wind died down — we could barely hear its 

passin' through the leaves ; 
Quiet — calm — inside and out — then John began to 

talk- 
He seemed a-speakin' to himself — his face was 

whiter'n chalk. 

At last he walked to Little John — then in his hands 

he took, 
That dead boy's face — his only son — and there he 

seemed to look, 
For something that was hard to see — could he have 

sought his soul 
That had been gone for these three days and long 

since reached its goal ? 

Could he have looked for signs of life — could he 
from long dead eyes 

Expected recognition — that his boy might rec- 
ognize — 

What e'er it was we'll never know — but we sat in 
silent dread — 

104 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

At last John Taylor raised his voice and this is 
what he said. 

"Well, son, you've gone and left me — I kept hopin' 

that you'd stay 
With your old dad who loved you, but they're takin' 

you away; 
But son I'll not believe it — not until I'm left alone — 
And I'm go in' to keep your body even though your 

life has flown. 

"When they took away your mother, John, and left 

you in my care, 
A little babe — so innocent — it seemed I couldn't 

bear 
To have my wife — your mother go — ^but you came 

and stayed with me, 
And took her place and helped my heart forget its 

misery. 

"What friends and pals we've always been — I 

loved you much my boy. 
As you grew up my pride increased, you always 

brought me joy; 
Always kind and good to me^ — and I tried to be 

good too, 
But John I've asked permission to go along with 

you. 

"Most all my life I lived alone — no folks — no love 
—no home, 

105 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

No place to live like you have had, my roof was 

heaven's dome; 
Good God is this a punishment for somethin' I have 

done — 
First my vj\it now little John — his mother and her 

son, 

"Must I go back a wanderer — an orphan boy once 
more? 

No one to love or be loved by — I could not this 
endure ; 

I'm gettin' old — IVe done my best — my best I al- 
ways gave, 

But now I'm done — I want to lie beside him in his 
grave. 

"I want to go — I have tried to do my every dut>" 
well — 

And Lord I know you'll understand — I don't know 
words to tell; 

But if my boy has gone to you and with you he 
will live. 

Let me go too — to be with him — will you permis- 
sion give?" 

For a minute he was silent — then he burst loud into 

song, 
Then said — "O John, I'm goin' — I'm goin' to go 

along"; 
With arms stretched high above his head — his face 

toward the sky — 
He said, "I thank you, Jesus, for sayin' I could die." 

1 06 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

His voice was slower — lower — we missed then what 

he said — 
He stiffened — swayed and tottered and fell across 

the bed; 
We raised him up and looked at him — a smile was 

on his face^ — 
So we made a grave as wide as long and right there 

is the place. 



107 



Captain Squires' Communoddities 



THAT FAMILY 'CROSS THE STREET 

While you're thinking on economy — how to make 

3^our money reach — 
And you try to put in practice what so many people 

preach ; 
And it's become a problem — tho your weekly pay 

is good — 
With the price you pay for clothing and for coal 

and rent and food — 
And for all the things you have to buy and bills 

you have to meet — 
I wish that j^ou'd explain to me "That family 'cross 

the street." 



I merely want to tell you that I think I draw good 

pay; 
I do not call it wages — but I call it salary. 
From half past eight till half past five I try to give 

my best, 
It is then that real problems come that put me to 

the test. 
Sometimes 1 have to figure and to use a lot of care, 
But I often think and wonder 'bout that family 

over there. 



I don't want to tell my troubles, for you've troubles 
of your own, 

io8 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

And if you have no troubles, you're the first I've 

ever know^n ; 
My fortunes seem misfortunes — and it seems 'twas 

ever thus — 
And believe me there are paydays when to beat the 

band I cuss — 
I try to make a practice to pay up without delay, 
But I started out to tell you 'bout those folks across 

the way. 

There's a family living over there with seven in the 

fold. 
The man is just a laborer and he is getting old. 
The children are too young for work — and all of 

them in school — 
While father wields a shovel or some such kind of 

tool; 
From six a.m. till six p.m. dirt mixes with his 

sweat, 
But how they manage to get by I haven't found 

out yet. 

For the kind of work that poor man does he surely 

earns his pay — 
Munificently for just mere work gets two dollars 

every day — 
I see him coming home from work so covered o'er 

with grime, 
And when I see him on the street I wonder every 

time. 
I'd like to get his recipe — I'd like to learn his 

way — 

109 



Captain Squires* Cornmonoddities 

I believe I could learn a lot of things, from this 
fellow 'cross the way. 

They must have coal to keep them warn — and coal 

costs money now — 
How he manages his furnace I wish he'd show me 

how ; 
I'd like to see his table — what those people have 

to eat — 
How they portion out potatoes and how they serve 

the meat. 
To house and feed that seven — to clothe from foot 

to hair — 
I wonder and I wonder, 'bout that family over 

there. 

Now I'm getting serious — for "By Heck" it beats 

the dutch — 
For jobs compared I have that man a walkin' with 

a crutch, 
I do not spend my money in foolish waj^s of ruin, 
And I'm going to cut this livin' cost or there'll be 

something doin' — 
It's a business proposition and that man I'm going 

to meet, 
And I'm going to have him teach me, how they do 

it 'cross the street. 

The pay I get is all I'm worth — tho of course I do 
aspire — 

IIO 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

And I expect as I improve to go a little higher — 
But it taxes one's ambition when you're spending 

all you get, 
To keep your growing family and it's not through 

growing yet — 
I am going to solve this problem — with diplomacy 

and care — 
I am going to get acquainted with that family over 

there. 



Ill 



Captain Squires' Comnionoddities 



THE CALLER 

I did not ask her errand or the reason why she 

came — 
I did not think — nor did I care — as to whom might 

be to blame-; 
That she was old enough to know (needs no wisdom 

this to tell) 
But this I knew — and knew well too — she tread the 

brink of hell. 



Before me she stood a sacrifice and the garb of 

Chastity, 
Hung by a single thread of golden Integrity; 
But ere the mantle that once clothed — and clothed 

yet as before — 
Dropped by design or accident some unknown 

power bore, 
And as upon the wings of fate and with swift 

decision tore, 
What seemed just then a cunning net and thinking 

seems the more. 



She stood before me — and she stood — my answer 
she would wait, 

And as I glanced — with curious brow — and ap- 
peared to hesitate, 

112 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

She caught my thoughts — at least it seemed my slug- 
gish mind to read — 
And as I tried my senses pull together and indeed, 

This is a master's work to do' when words all seem 

to strain, 
To tumble, jumble to express — more time I tried 

to gain — 
By gazing — thinking, my thoughts afar — and was 

this cowardice, 
Was I a fool, was I a prince gaming with loaded 

dice? 

Was I a traitor to a man, was he a man to me^ — 

Should I consider his friendship? Or plain mor- 
ality; 

He was my friend — what was he now? Thoughts 
conglomerated pile. 

But duty and respect for both held me for a while. 

The seconds pass and minutes seem — they move so 

draggish slow; 
I motioned the lady to a chair^ — but wished to God 

she'd go — 
Or never had she come to me — for tho I was no 

saint — 
But by dear sleeping bones I swear I had never 

borne the taint. 
For it was taint that threatened me and would 

follow to my grave; 
I could give no sanction or reject, not even my soul 

to save. 

113 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

She knew she had no business there — nor I her there 
allow — 

But by all the gods that I knew of I knew no 
means or how; 

I could not say there is the door — please go — de- 
part — get out, 

For I had a feeling that she knew, just what she 
was about. 

And I knew too — she also knew — these things we 

don't forget, 
I was not sure she knew my thoughts or how I 

cared — but yet — 
I knew enough of what she knew and she enough 

of me, 
For both had erred in judgment and compromis- 

ingly. 

As sunlight does when light w^inds blow, the cur- 
tains mildly flick — 

It darts across a darkened room like lightning and 
as quick; 

So does the vision of a thought — and yet defies the 
tongue. 

To put to voice, the thought express — it is in 
silence hung. 

With thoughts that came and went away and too 

in silence mute, 
I sat and gazed like condemning judge — I must 

have seemed a brute — 
114 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

She came to me for sympathy, she came to me for 
love, 

Neither of these did she receive, I swear to Him 
above ; 

I do not say I mastered myself — but more than 
this degree^ — 

She was but blind — I was paralyzed to immova- 
bility. 

At last she arose as if to go — ^^her visit now was 

o'er — 
Glancing at me contemptuously she moved towards 

the door; 
She glanced at me with such contempt as if at 

filthy dust, 
Then slammed the door to accent her love turned 

to disgust. 
No one knew of her visit — in her home she took 

her place^ — 
And never since has my caller ever looked me in 

the face. 



"5 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 



THE DERELICT 

The truth is — it did seem a shame, 

And yet — one never knows — 
When pretty Susan took his name, 

Well — you know how it goes, 

Things seem incomprehensible — 
The w^ay young folks will mate, 

Like each were indispensable. 
To a happy future state. 

Well any way — 'twas their affair — 

And no one else should judge; 
So all her friends — they ceased to care 

Or her — her choice begrudge. 

Then true to form Big Bill turned out 

To be what people said — 
Tho for months he kept her mind from doubt, 

About the life he led. 

She did her best — she babied him — 

She humored that big beast; 
And independent — sweet and prim, 

Seemed worried — not the least. 

She tried to make her judgment good, 
And dreaded folks to know 

ii6 



I 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

Just what they all had understood — 
He now was proving so. 

Big Bill stayed out night after night, 
And lie^ — what tales he made^ — 

And she — she realized with fright, 
The price that she had paid. 

She stood it all — he always thought 
She believed his explanations — 

But more than once he had been caught, 
In great prevarications. 

But day by day her character, 

Took on a different form ; 
Tho typical — 'twas just like her — 

A rebelling mental storm. 

One night — when every thing was still — ■ 
And Bill had stayed out late; 

Her judgment and her outraged will, 
Bowed to revengeful hate. 

She went into a den of shame — 

Her life to contradict; 
And Susan — at one step became, 

And remains — a derelict. 



117 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 



THE INVENTOR'S COMPENSATION 

Listen Justice, hear my tale; listen God and Man! 
I would have j^ou hear my story — hear me while I 

can, 
The common details' relate to you — my strength is 

fast abating — 
Help me to live my shortened life — to die without 

my hating. 



Give me attention, is all I ask — I crave no gold or 
pleasure, 

That day is gone when earthly things, by anticipa- 
tion measure; 

I have no hope and no desire — I see my sun's rays 
glitter. 

And sinking as my cherished dream, sank cold and 
dark and bitter. 



'Tis God to whom I really speak — for Justice I 

know you not — 
And you my acquaintance never knew, or early me 

forgot; 
Your elbows I have often brushed through all the 

years so fleeting, 
I begged a smile, I craved a look and doted on our 

meeting, 

ii8 



I 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

But high above my common way I heard your voice, 

and singing, 
But not for me wtrt praises sung — no bells for me 

were ringing. 

And Man to you what can I say, so changeable of 
feature^ — 

You dare not meet me face to face, you deliberat- 
ing creature; 

You stole the fruit from off my tree — you stole my 
contribution, 

Your guilt is hidden 'neath your mask in surest 
retribution. 

You crept upon me from behind — your mind was 

bent on thieving — 
But bland of smile and countenance disguised by 

wiles deceiving; 
For many years you encouraged me, I toiled in 

poverty, 
My hair turned white, my shoulders stooped, then 

success rewarded me. 

Then came to me new confidence — the dullness of 

my eye, 
Was brightened, then with efforts crowned I 

thanked you God on high; 
There in my shop I humbly knelt in thankfulness 

of prayer, 
For I had wrought a great success, from years of 

gaunt despair. 

119 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

How brightly now the old sun shone — I loved all 

things that aided — 
My bench and lathe and all my tools — they now to 

me were sacred ; 
All my books and literature — digested page by 

page — 
For in thousands of, an inch I read as with mili- 

meter gauge. 

Tedious and painstaking — my machine must be 
just so — 

Tho I often became discouraged and was tempted 
to let go, 

Conception and deep knowledge told and hot im- 
agination 

Would sweep me back to work again, to thought- 
ful meditation. 

I came to know the truth in me — I came to know 
the need — 

Of laborious application, if hoping to succeed ; 

More human like I then became and seemed in- 
oculated, 

With a great desire for things deprived so long I 
all but hated. 

So proud of my accomplishment that pride ran rife 

in me — 
Those things of life so long denied, I saw in reality; 
And I pictured out the contrast — of what my life 

had been, 
Upon the past for twenty years, I gazed time and 

again. 

1 20 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Now I nursed my falling body, for with honor, 
fame and wealth, 

Time would come for rest and sleep that would 
bring me back to health ; 

My invention led — no other made machines that 
could compete, 

So simple in accomplishment and perfect and com- 
plete, 

It did its work and accurate and lightened labor's 
way, 

And changed to ease and pleasure hard toil and 
drudgery. 



There is no fortune half so pure, nor sweeter com- 
pensation. 

Than the reaping of the harvest from profound 
meditation ; 

There is no one who more deserves — nor dream 
which should come true, 

Than ones that are wrought from years of thought 
— who in vision's forests hew. 

Who shape and mould — who build and tear — re- 
build and then destroy. 

Whom disappointment oft rebukes and failure's 
fears annoy; 

There is no one whom God should help to brighter 
make the road — 

There is no one in any field who totes his heavy 
load. 

Than he who tries by brain and brawn — who at- 
tempts creation's plan, 

121 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

There is no one who less receives fronni contem- 
porary man. 

Now that success had come to me there appeared a 

radiance splendid — 
A craving for things I never thought were for such 

as me intended ; 
I remembered now my mother's face and with 

shame shed burning tears, 
I had not had such tender thoughts as these for 

many years; 
So I gazed on life as never before, after sadness 

and dejection, 
And backward looked in happy frame in cheerful 

retrospection. 

I remembered well and do so still when my mind 
turned to invention — 

My father's frown I see it now, with usual ap- 
prehension — 

He knew no one who ever made success at such a 
trade, 

And he told of worry and despair over which my 
path was laid. 

Mathematics and mechanics in my mind already 
ran — 

I see my start and finish now as oneself, he only can. 



Then came the day of ecstasy in the early hours 
of mom — 

122 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

No longer would I the subject be of the loafers' 
unthoughtful scorn; 

No more the stock for laughing or silly interroga- 
tion, 

That so often filled me with disgust to my utter 
exasperation. 

Better knows no one than I how idle doubt can 
pain, 

Its thrust of burning, sharpened prong made my 
weary soul complain. 

There was but one whom I did trust — one man my 

secret knew; 
He was the man who held my fate^ — he saw me 

passing through, 
And he became my confidant — what I knew to him 

I told, 
He said that I'd be wealthy — it was worth a mine 

of gold. 

He was a man who had the means— I agreed to 

give a third. 
So into partnership we went indeed as well as word ; 
And he, he was to finance me and till I got it 

going. 
He was to pay for patents and what little there 

was owing; 
To handle all the business end — I never had a 

thought. 
But what he would be fair and square in all the 

things he ought. 

123 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

When you can talk to no one — not a soul who can 

advise — 
When j^ourself the problems must work out and 

alone the means devise ; 
When solved the answers you cannot prove and in 

doubtful steps have trod, 
It is then you wish for counsel and there is no 

one but God. 

When you work along uncertain lines — for months 
and years have spent, 

Your failing and tiring energy for doubt and dis- 
content, 

When you know that manhood's prime has passed 
and you note your failing sight, 

It is then your very soul cries out in anguish at 
your plight. 

Imagine then what blessings crowded through my 

tired frame ; 
Transport yourself there in my place, in body, soul 

and name. 
Allow yourself to think as I — with thoughts deep 

and intense. 
Upon a thing that held enslaved, my spirit and my 

sense. 

Enough had I of worries — of trouble and of woe, 
Had I not gone the journey as far as I could go? 
So certsurc not for confidence that proved so illy 
placed — 

124 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

'Tis he not I that God on high, for a man by choice 

debased, 
Will turn unhearing ear away — for with sin so 

vile as this, 
Can never enter heaven's door, but fiery Hell's 

abyss ; 
For if there's Hell designed for man by a pardonable 

God, 
It is for he whose footsteps over earth for years 

have trod — 
With time for full reflection and with means to 

wrongs aright, 
Who sees his victims suffering and is conscious of 

their plight. 

Forgive? And would you have me be just what I 

was before, 
Imagination's creative touch had opened wide the 

door — 
And showed to me the possible, along whose paths 

I groped, 
Until at last accomplishing all that I dreamed or 

hoped ? 

But where — O where the stolen draught, when 

lifted to my lip — 
The nectar that the glass contained — that I about 

to sip — 
To taste the fruit from off my tree — the tree I 

caused to grow^, 
Where is my compensation? Thank God, I can 

show. 

125 



Captain Squires' Comrnonoddities 

See yon factory buildings rise — and see that tallest 

stack, 
Belching forth great volumes of smoke so coally 

black? 
See those buildings on beyond and those high cranes 

and towers, 
Do you see that white-faced brick that stands amopg 

the trees and flowers? 
Now see that fence enclosing all — that's painted 

white and green — 
That's where they manufacture my wonderful 

machine. 

Without my wonderful machine, there'd be no fac- 
tory there — 

When I think I made that possible, I suppose I 
shouldn't care; 

And when I see the happy folks who make the tiny 
parts. 

If I ever draw a happy breath, 'tis because those 
happy hearts, 

And homes and stores and families, are there be- 
cause of me; 

Wasted then is all my life, when all these things 
I see? 

Thousands work there in those shops and all these 

learn a trade. 
To do a part of a machine — the whole of which I 

made ; 
Though terrible the sacrifice — if it my life has cost, 

126 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Can I well say my life's misspent and all my ef- 
forts lost? 

Yes I am poor in money — and no one will believe, 

When I try to tell my story, for no one can con- 
ceive 

My doing what I say I've done, that, that machine 
completed. 

Then after I had done all that be so robbed and 
cheated. 

I told but one as I have said — one man my secret 

knew — 
He was the man who held my fate — he saw me 

passing through, 
But to see the product of that plant shipped to 

every state. 
From New York harbor in the East, West to the 

Golden Gate — 
To see it shipped to every clime — to lands far o'er 

the sea. 
That is the compensation that daily comes to me. 

But hark! You hear those whistles shriek? The 
workers' day is run — 

For all the workers in that plant, another day is 
done ; 

Though it brings a sting of sadness and melan- 
choly steals, 

Closely over its track there comes and to my eye 
reveals 

127 



Captain iS quires' Co?nmonoddities 

Again mv^ compensation to alleviate my hate, 
For trooping homeward hurrj^ing, are thousands 
through that gate. 

Should not all this my injured pride sufficiently 

repay, 
Should not I again in solitude kneel, and humbly 

pray— 
And ask my ever present God for forgiveness and 

atone? 
'Twas for millions that I sacrificed, though I toiled 

for self alone. 



128 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 



I SORT O' THINGS REVIEWED 

As I sat alone one ev'nin' in a contemplative mood — 

After lapsin' retrospective — I sort o' things re- 
viewed ; 

Now there's nothin' more elatin' or more balmin' 
to my mind 

Than at times to get reflectin' on the years that's 
left behind. 



There's a mighty little glory — ^when one sort o' 
thinks a bit — 

And you sort o' sort the genuine from the plated 
counterfeit — 

When one fairly takes an invoice then scans with 
honest eyes, 

The most of us are bankrupt — what ever that im- 
plies. 



As I said, there's little glory — if a fellow's on the 

square^ — 
When you remove the camouflage much worth is 

seldom there; 
I'm not speakin' for the benefit of the 'spicioned — 

crooked — few. 
But I'm speakin' broad and general like — I may be 

hittin' you. 

129 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

We do forget — how fortunate — that power of the 
brain — 

Has saved us many a sleepless night and a dog- 
gone lot o' pain, 

And if "Bj-Heck" there was no check — to sort o' 
drive away — - 

There'd be a lot less o' these rich folks a-motorin' 
'round today. 

Man is possessed o' faculties that he, himself, may 
mold ; 

But now-a-days they are mostly used as a means 
for makin' gold. 

Our groc'ry men — our butcher men — 'tis said and 
it appears — 

Have cornered all the eatin's and done turned profi- 
teers. 

Now when I get to thinkin' — as I do sometimes 
alone — 

It is then I get to gazin' on conditions I have 
known ; 

Sometimes there comes a feelin' bringin' moisture 
to my eyes. 

Then again I'll get to talkin' — to myself solilo- 
quize. 

That night I got to thinkin' — "What we used to 

have to eat" — 
And I saw my mother's table — and "By-Heck" it 

was a treat; 

130 



/ 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

Must been a-havin' comp'ny — it was so big that 

night — 
Stretched out just likefer threshers with the table 

cloth so white. 

My imagination must o' been a-workin' good that 

day — 
Could hear Ma in the kitchen — she just talked and 

talked away — 
And I just kept a-hangin' 'round — out o' sight the 

best I could — 
I reckon I was scared to death she'd tell me, "Get 

some wood." 

Then — I saw them set the victuals on — a few things 

I will tell— 
Had roast turkey and fried chicken — there was 

pumpkin-pie and jell; 
There was dressin' — peas and noodles — and a nice 

big leg o' lamb^ — 
Apple-dumplin's — cream and butter — and a great 

big plate o' ham. 

They had cakes of ev'ry differ'nt kind — a-layered 

way up high — 
Spiced peaches — beets and pickles — and bread both 

wheat and rye; 
They had mashed and sweet potatoes — these sug- 

ared-up more sweet — 
And with coffee mother roasted — ^was quite some 

meal to eat. 

131 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Oh, yes, one thing I most forgot — big roastin' 

ears — they had ; 
My mouth just got to waterin' so — I got to slob- 

ber'n bad. 
They had just rafts of other stuff — a lot I didn't 

see — 
I've merely told some o' the things that always 

'pealed to me. 

But at last I tired o' even that — a-settin' there 

alone — 
And I felt so gol-danged hungry — like a dog — could 

eat a bone ; 
So with all the things a-ringin' and 'a-slippin' 

through my mind, 
I went out to the pantry — to see what I could 

find. 

I looked all through the cup-board — I looked into 

the chest — 
And down there in a corner — in a cozy little nest — 
Reposin' — ^just so comfy — in a tissue-paper bed — 
Was a stingy — dingy — heel of — what was once a 

loaf o' bread. 

So I got in bed that ev'nin' in a contemplative 
mood — 

After lapsin' retrospective — I sort o' things re- 
viewed. 



132 



Captain Squires* Co mm on oddities 



O DAMN THOSE WICKED, WAGGIN' 
TONGUES 

If you ever get to thinkin' on some subject good 

and deep — 
And it holds you soul and body, so's you get but 

little sleep, 
If you get at times so bloomin' mad that for days 

you're good and blue^ — 
And ev'ry thing you're tryin' fails — and you don't 

know what to do. 
You will have a good idea how I felt that gloomy 

day, 
When this whole town ('cludin' murderers) 

helped to lay that girl away. 



There ain't no use a-talkin' boys — I have thought 

on this a lot — 
And my feelin's ain't a patchin' to the ones that 

I forgot — 
There ain't no words that's bad enough — and I 

surely know a few. 
But I've searched my mind and fail to find the ones 

I think will do; 
So I merely keep repeatin' — sort o' pumpin' with 

my lungs, 
"O damn those scandalmongers and their wicked, 

waggin' tongues." 



133 



Captain Squires^ Comrnonoddities 

Now Mary Johnson never died as they say — "by 

her own hand," 
There never lived a better girl in this or any 

land ; 
That she is dead is proof enough that she in life 

was good — 
She always lived the best she knew, and did the 

best she could, 
The first she knew of actual wrong — the first she 

knew of sin — 
She got from others worse than she, thru talk and 

gossipin'. 

At first she took it as a joke — so innocent was she — 

She could not see or understand — it all was mys- 
tery; 

The story grew — the women wagged for all that 
they were worth, 

And found delight in misery — the worst there is 
on earth. 

She suffered humbly and alone the undeserved dis- 
grace. 

That mocked and talked and followed her — it was 
with her ev'ry place. 

When old friends and acquaintances, unnoticed 

passed her by. 
With knowin' smiles and gigglin' — she knew the 

reason why; 
And men or things — who think they're men — with 

silly looks they stared, 

134 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

As at some ferocious animal, that helpless lies en- 
snared. 

Day after day, week after week had come and passed 

away — 
Her rosy cheeks had long since paled and no more 

bright and gay, 
Melancholy grasped her — her eyes were dark and 

blank — 
Deserted she was by all her friends, now from her 

parents shrank; 
Suspicious were the looks of all — tho guiltless of a 

sin, 
Her world was changed and different from the 

world she'd traveled in. 

Even the flowers meant naught to her — the singin' 

of the birds — 
Seemed accusin' and taunted knowin'ly, that meant 

as much as words; 
She knew no one to whom to turn — and little did 

she care — 
For her life was goin' inch by inch, no longer could 

she bear. 
When midnight came and the town-clock tolled, 

poor Mary scrawled a note. 
Nervously and hurriedly — and this is what she 

wrote. 

"What right have I to live on earth, when spurned 
by all who from my birth, 

135 



Captain Squires' Comrnonoddities 

Have known me well — as I have you — I see no 
happiness in view ; 

It seems that you have chosen me to bear disgrace- 
ful misery, 

And heaped upon my girlhood brow, a sin unknown 
to me till now; 

Guiltless though of even a thought of doing a 
thing — but what I ought — 

To be accused of this terrible sin, you steal my life 
where it should begin. 

If thoughtlessly my fate decide, as you have sen- 
tenced, I abide ; 

And take with me undeserved shame ; please let me 
rest, forget my name." 

We found her in the river, boys, and we laid her 

'neath the sod. 
In the lot she often visited — where her feet had 

often trod; 
Never will we hear her voice — no more her cheery 

call- 
That so often rang with friendliness for you and 

I and all, 
Who knew her since a little babe — and through her 

youthful years — 
Far was her fall from happiness to drownin' in her 

tears. 

When God makes out His scale of deeds — when sins 

are sized and graded — 
We will better know how far to go with things 

insinuated ; 

136 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

How quickly springs what seems the truth — like a 
rolling ball of snow — 

It gains momentum and in size and no one tries to 
know — 

To learn the facts or trace the source 'till reputa- 
tion ravels — 

Until it's lost forever in its speedin', w'd'nin' 
travels. 

We know that girl was murdered — if by another 
name — 

She has its harshness tempered, it is murder just 
the same. 

There is no sin that is so black as malicious im- 
putation, 

That helps to steal, to kill or mar some other's 
reputation ; 

Of all the songs that have been writ, these words 
should oft be sung — 

"O Damn a Scandalmonger and a Wicked, Wag- 
gin' Tongue!" 



137 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

I'VE BEEN STINGY 'BOUT RELIGION 

Written for the $75,000,000 Baptist Campaign 

I've been a member of the church nigh-on to fort}'' 

year — 
And have always done my duty as it did to me apv- 

pear ; 
I have tried to be a Christian like I wanted folks 

to know, 
That I followed in His footsteps — ^just where He'd 

have me go. 



But today I got to thinkin' — when discussin' That 

Campaign — 
Somethin' up an' hit me sudden like — I saw things 

mighty plain ; 
For compared with other kinds of things — I felt 

guilty when I thought — 
What I'd laid out on religion was a lot less than 

I ought. 



I've been ev'ry thing but preacher — I'm a Baptist 

thru and thru — 
And without the church, Ah brethren I don't know 

what I'd do; 
I have gotten all the benefits — it is there I've sung 

and prayed — 

138 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

But considerin' all these blessin's what a little I 
have paid! 

I've been wrong — that's sure as shootin' — but I 

saw my duty plain, 
'Twas like bein' re-converted when I boosted That 

Campaign ; 
I had the money in the bank — and there's thousands 

more like me — 
Who've been stingy 'bout religion — I reckon 

thoughtlessly. 

But I signed that paper, Brother, and I made them 

figgers shine — 
For somethin' sort o' told me all that money wasn't 

mine ; 
I didn't want to have it said that all I did was 

save. 
So I fin'ly paid it in a lump — to the Lord, His 

share I gave. 

Let's do our duty, Baptists, and we'll make our 

church worth while — 
And give it a chance to do its work in regular 

Christian style; 
Let us set a higher standard by puttin' it on its 

feet — 
Let's go over the top a-singin' and make that job 

complete. 

We will put it where our children and our chil- 
dren's children too, 

139 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

Can have all such advantages that of course we 

never knew ; 
Fix up all the missions — and the preachers, let 

them preach, 
Let 'em go 'long the highways and let 'em the 

heathen teach. 

Provide for all the veterans — give 'em rest in their 

old age — 
For they've spent their lives a-toilin' at 'bout half 

a common wage ; 
Money can be no better spent than t'wards this 

worthy goal, 
"Man needs but little here below," but to give does 

help the soul. 

It's a business proposition — if religion's a success — 
Those who can must keep it goin' — those who can't 

and in distress 
Can reap then of the blessin's that the abler can 

afford. 
And great will be the dividends — but greater the 

reward. 



140 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 



THE DEVIL ABDICATES 

Mister Kaiser, said the Devil, at last I humbly 

bow — 
I have never bowed but to myself, but to you I'm 

bending now; 
I have held the crown through out all time and 

have ruled the best I could — 
And have never thought of rivals, nor dreamed I 

ever would. 



I have never bent a stiffened knee — nor have I ever 

faltered — 
No ways but mine could ever see and these have 

never altered ; 
But went my way and carried out and had my will 

obeyed, 
And never have I followed or have I second played. 



Always, Mister Kaiser, I have tried to live to 

name — 
And have always too, been willing to bear the brunt 

of blame; 
Even tho it's hard and difficult — the thing I'm going 

to do, 
My place and ancient title, I surrender all to 

you. 

141 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

No one knows me Kaiser — even I have never 

known 
That I was tender hearted, but I perhaps alone, 
Know I am a failure — and to fail when I had 

thought, 
I had done my duties nobly in every way I ought. 

I thought too, Mister Kaiser, by use of fiery brand, 

To rule my kind of people with a heavy iron hand; 

Recruits and converts always came and great sacri- 
fices bore. 

And never 'gainst his wishes has a man passed thru 
my door. 

Though I have had no favorites, every one was 
treated well — 

And always have I given them the very best in 
hell; 

But it seems that all my efforts and the time that 
I have spent. 

At last are unavailing, for they are no more con- 
tent. 

I have noticed daily that my folks were no more 

satisfied — 
And have known that some new method soon 

would have to be applied, 
For murmurings of revolution and dissatisfaction 

grew, 
I have heard them talking openly and they always 

talked of you. 

142 



Captain Squires^ Comrnonoddities 

They talked of me behind my back and thought I 

wouldn't hear — 
And they held me not in horror, nor in ordinary 

fear ; 
And said that near' — so close to us — just a block 

or two from hell, 
In good old loyal Germany, that you were known to 
dwell. 



They have picked you Mister Kaiser, just because 

I didn't dare, 
To do the things that you have done^ — I did not 

think it fair. 
And it is true, I never did or never cared to do. 
The things you'll have an answer for, things justly 

charged to you. 

It never mattered much to me — tho the Devil I 

have been, 
For I only took those people who volunteered for 

sin; 
I never killed or massacred a woman, child or man. 
And it never entered into a single scheme or plan. 

I do not mean to censure — but how I'd like to 

know. 
What kind of dust you're made of and why out of 

hell it's so; 
For man or beast — what e'er you are — how can 

you be at ease, 

143 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

When you murder, rape or slaughter exactly as 
you please. 

How can heaven — and there is — I know there is a 
God, 

Look down and see the vineyards by the Kaiser be- 
ing trod ; 

How can God — who knows you well — look down 
and see 3'ou tread, 

Wreaking brutal vengeance on even helpless dead. 

How can He watch the workings of your blood 

crazed war machine, 
Grinding, reeking, dripping blood, such as the world 

has never seen ; 
In Belgium, Poland, Servia and France and others 

too — 
I suspect some kind of reckoning, when they get 

hold of you. 

I have always been the Devil and my home was 

always Hell, 
But since you are superior, it is you who there 

should dwell ; 
I do not doubt but what you will some awful 

changes make — 
I have no doubt but ruin will follow in your wake. 

But there amongst the earth's elect — although I 

cannot know, — 
Just what reception you'll receive, on taking charge 

below; 

144 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

I relinquish to you Kaiser the workings and each 

For it's there that you can practice to your heart's 
content your art. 

The greatest reason Kaiser why I am giving way, 
It's merely a side issue, but this I want to say; 
All my lands and provinces, possessions great and 

small, 
I am giving to you cheerfully — I am giving to you 

all. 

I want you to go and promptly — leave the country 
of your birth — 

The above is my inducement to get you off the 
earth ; 

You have won such laurels — such as they are — 
again let Nature smile, 

And I feel that Hell will hold you for no tem- 
porary while. 

Let weeping mothers, the bleeding earth and civil- 
ization try — 

To repair its broken, damaged face while centuries 
passeth by; 

For years most without number will come and go 
again, 

Ere beautiful lands and kingdoms and hills and 
fertile plain, 

Be what they were before you came with worse than 
hell's devices, 

145 



Captain Squires' Comrnonoddities 



So treacherous and savage your cruelties and vices ; 
So from this date, 'tis 5'Ou who'll wield the scepter 

and the laws — 
And you will all the honors reap and applause — 

and you like applause. 

'Tis you who will, when Gabriel blows, his long, 

long parting blast — 
Still be in arms in infamy — which so long has held 

you fast; 
Then by his strength ignoble — so merciful will 

he, 
Whisper through his sulphur breath, your kind of 

sympathy. 

Then ere your nostrils have been closed — long be- 
fore your breath 

Has ceased to be, you will have known the reward 
that comes with death ; 

For death like to others will not come — I know 
that this is true. 

For it will frolic and will play and have lots of 
fun with you. 

So go now. Kaiser Wilhelm, your duty lies be- 
fore — 

For talent howe'er ignoble there is much — so much 
in store; 

Go and tell my door-man that the Kaiser wishes in. 

They are waiting for you Kaiser, to rule the land 
of sin. 

146 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



THE SERENADERS 

Sing on light hearted singers, sing; 

Your melodious noise is cheer. 
On such a night as this you bring 

Our hearts and spirits near. 

'Twas welcome music when we heard 
Your faint twang, twang afar — 

And like some early morning bird 
Are you and your guitar. 

Now let us hear your mandolin, 

And let your voices rise; 
Sing on my neighbors, sing like sin, 

Let's together neutralize^ — 

All hate and thoughts and deeds unkind, 

Let's sing our cares away; 
And leave all selfishness behind, 

Forget them for the day. 

Sing some familiar melodies 
That every one should know — 

'Twill bring to all sweet memories 
Of perhaps the long ago. 

We'll all again once more be young — 
For it makes the aged blest — 

147 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

When he has with proper spirit sung, 
And joined in with the rest. 

Come often friends and serenade — 
You are welcome when you care, 

For upon God's instruments you played 
Some sweet familiar air. 

We'll sing those songs when we're alone, 

As through our lives we go ; 
The songs that we have always known, 

For God would have it so. 



148 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



THIS IS MY PRAYER TO THEE 

To be a man — God give me strength 

To follow my convictions — any place to any 

length ; 
GivQ me that proud conception that I may plainly 

see, 
Right and truth with, that great power to give the 

best in me. 



Give me, Lord, that courage — both to body and to 

mind, 
That I may bravely onward forge and never look 

behind ; 
That I may face accusers with a positive man like 

view — 
And to my own convictions, O help me, Lord, be 

true. 



Help me to evade the hand that would make of me 

a slave 
To unprincipled cliques and elements^ — ^who would 

make of me a knave; 
O give me independence and initiative power. 
That my own master I may be every conscious day 

and hour. 



149 



Captain Squires' Commojioddities 

Help me to distinguish when appearances deceive — 
And to see the real significance, what perhaps is 

make-believe; 
Help me, Lord, to scorn the thought of hypocrite or 

liar — 
And to preserve my self-respect and attain ideals 

higher. 

Help me sweep aside indifference — my trembling 

voice to rise, 
To speak my own opinions when I know them to 

be wise; 
Shield me. Lord, from all of those who sacrifice the 

truth, 
And early teach these principles to inexperienced 
youth. 

Help me to be that kind of man that never can be 

bought — 
And let me be in practice the kind of man I ought ; 
Help me to be, O Lord, — A Man — just what you'd 

have me be — 
This is my prayer, O Lord of Hosts — this is my 

prayer to Thee. 



150 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

A CAPTAIN'S THOUGHTS 

Written at Camp Sherman, O., Winter of igi8 

When softened contemplation brings to solemn 

minds a view, 
Of our duty to the soldiers and the things we ought 

to do; 
When we invoice past accomplishments and gaze 

with discontent, 
On the details of each day's routine and each little 

element. 

When you're one of many thousands that for cause 

have gathered here, 
From all sections of the country, leaving kin and 

homes so dear. 
When you see the masses as a whole — ^whose heart 

beats, beat as one. 
From the blowing of old Reveille, till the sound 

of Taps is done. 

In their messes and their barracks, in their practice 

march and drills — 
In their routine duties as they come, and which each 

soldier fills, 
There's a feeling kin to sadness, there's a feel of 

tenderness, 

151 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Though the thought in a real man's thought, its 
Truth is none the less. 

I have often gazed into the face — some boy the 
draft has caught, 

And have tried to glean from shadows — I have 
studied and have sought, 

To learn the pictured vision, that alone he knowing 
sees. 

Till I've learned to read the \tvy thoughts and per- 
sonalities. 

I have seen young boys who not till now had left 

parental hearth, 
When on duty do the work required and in this have 

shown their worth ; 
But when left alone in idleness, their minds begin 

to roam, 
And all they see are visions of mother, friends and 

home. 

No doubt he sees the curling of the smoke from 
chimney stack — 

No doubt he sees his mother by his mansion, hut or 
shack ; 

And he sees far more than e'er portrayed on can- 
vas, card or wall. 

And sometimes his heart is breaking as he gazes 
over all. 

As Jack Frost can paint a picture on a glass with- 
out a brush, 

152 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

So can the soldier first from home, when home 

thoughts o'er him rush ; 
There is no world — there is no place that is to him 

so fine, 
And I know of what I'm speaking, for such pictures 

oft were mine. 

Back home some place he sees a girl, and through 

the glis'ning tears, 
He sees a something that he dreads, the nightmare 

of his fears ; 
The little girl that still is his — then doubts and 

questions rise, 
As he sees the lad who was not called through dark 

and jealous eyes. 

But now, though feeling lonely, sad, he mutters 
words that he, 

Would not have had his mother hear — close to pro- 
fanity ; 

But had he not now grown a man — was he not now 
of age? 

And who can blame this conscript for his show of 
healthy rage. 

Had he not gone away from home to for his 

country fight — 
And can we blame him when he thinks he's not 

been treated right? 
He cannot help but feel that he, who was among the 

picked. 
Is being undermined at home; by others being 

tricked. 

153 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

So rage within him daily grows — he knows that 

he's in War, 
He also knows the reasons and what he's in it for; 
So he swears he'll go to France to fight — the folks 

at home will see, 
That he's a man, if he has to lick the whole of 

Germany. 

So that's the spirit, and it's taught — we are teach- 
ing them to fight, 

When our boys get over there, they are going at it 
right. 

So girls at home, remember, and please do not for- 
get — 

Your sweetheart's on a mission, but he's thinking of 
you yet. 

Take no advantage now that he, his rights cannot 

defend — 
But be the one he thought you were, on you let him 

depend ; 
Let you be inspiration to carry out his deeds — 
For perhaps upon the battle field, he suffers and 

he bleeds. 

Help him by telling him that you will stick through 

thick and thin — 
And know ye that deceitfulness is a rotten kind of 

sin; 
Make him believe — yes, make him know that you'll 

wait and do the right, 

154 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

So that he may, with honor, like hell go in and 
fight. 

You stay-at-homes, take warning — it's a dastard 

thing to do — 
While all is fair in love and war, this does not 

allude to you. 
If you had the proper kind of blood, or the right 

percent of man, 
You would have on the uniform helping carry out 

the plan. 

But those who can and do not do, in every act re- 
flect, 

The exactness of their measurements and sacrifice 
respect. 

When Hist'ry shall have writ the words, how proud 
our boys will be, 

That they have helped to save the world and made 
safe democracy. 

How proud will be their children, as they tell with 

honest pride. 
How their father or his father, fought and lived or 

maybe died ; 
That he had done his little bit — that he bravely 

gave his all; 
So do honor to the soldiers that have answered to 

the call. 



155 



Captain Squires' Comnionoddities 



DISCIPLINE 

Discipline, my jailer and my friend ! 
You came as an arch enemy, disguised ; 

And, being strange, I failed to comprehend, 
Yet learned to admire one heartily despised. 

You forced yourself upon me when you came — 
I'd never known or wished an introduction ; 

But knew by reputation and by name. 
Then came to you by forced induction. 

The firmness of your voice held me in awe — 
No less your cold and calculating eye; 

1 did not relish what I heard or saw, 
And vow^ed 5^our wishes to defy. 

I did, however, bend reluctant knee 

That never had but when my own mind willed, 
Much less a proud rebellious spirit, me 

But which was by your expert tactics killed. 

I watched and thought and studied day by day, 
To find some undiscovered weakness there; 

To learn your heart and then that heart to slay, 
And cared not by what means, nor foul nor fair. 

As davs went on I learned some things thought 
'bad— 
I saw some good develop from your style — 

156 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

And soon I saw amongst the traits you had, 
Some semblance of a kindly face — a smile. 

A smile at times, though hidden, seemed to lurk. 
And, too, whenever I attempted you to please, 

And do as you required and ceased to shirk, 
My duties changed from drudgery to ease. 

And with what ease I accomplished all required. 
Those self same tasks that yesterday were mean — 

And both myself and you got all desired. 

And things now clear were all the clearer seen. 

Even then I did not in all agree. 

Nor did I wish to knuckle and to bow. 

And in my heart determined not to be. 
Your disciple and your slave as I am now. 

I do not mean to say I am your slave, 
For next to crime is it for one to dare; 

But to obey and honor one who gave 

So much, is simply justice, broad and fair. 

So easy — and how careless are our acts — 

How lightly do we plod and sow the seeds — 

And lie and plant those lies as fertile facts, 
And reap a harvest grown to weeds. 

How often do we fail to cultivate, 

As civilians how we fail to comprehend 
Or understand ourselves, nor elevate 

157 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

The things and thoughts we know have right to 
blend. 

How often in our lives does misery 

Come marching down upon us as it wills, 

Unworried and unprepared, yet do not flee 
But watch it come across the nearby hills. 

We lack a master with an iron hand, 

A master that can teach a soldier's pride — 

Until, we never will, but will misunderstand. 
Until both we have a leader and a guide. 

Discipline you have taught me much — 
To repay, I this at least do not expect 

But I agree to follow at your touch 
And by so doing your wish reflect. 

1 want to make my light and yours to shine — 
I want to make the flame go flaming higher, 

To show the world your light is also mine, 
And mine is always waiting your desire. 

I am converted and convinced and hope 
That what you do may your great wisdom show — 

And that your field will reach far greater scope, 
For waiting are great multitudes to know. 

Few people know exactly what you are, 

Few people have, of course, given you a thought; 

158 



Captain Squires^ Co mm on oddities 

But you have come and millions near and far, 
Have learned no lesson greater than you taught. 

You cannot teach a man to be your slave, 

Nor can you wish and have that wish come 
true — 

But you can teach a man to be a knave, 
And with a wish, can have so much to do. 

If you can teach a man to be a knave, 

You will also teach a knave to be a man; 

He can't be both, not even his life to save. 
Nor ever could since this old world began. 

The lesson taught has opened up a scope, 
That will ere long cry out for such a need; 

To remake the world will be our greatest hope, 
And you will make it possible — indeed ! 

Long years will slip into the past — 

For men will stand faint hearted at the plow, 
And with their spirits broken stand aghast, 

And wait for you, are waiting even now. 

Wild beasts of the jungle learn to yield. 

The low brained animals to mind. 
And all the creatures of the wood and field 

Are taught by you at once so harsh and kind. 

They seem to know no thought but to obey — 
They see your eye and remember what they see; 

159 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

And then they seem so happy in their play, 
Though confined are more contented than if free. 

Freedom is a figurative speech — 

No one seems to know the limits round — 

But often unowned territory reach, 
And there too often run aground. 

People work in slip-shod fashion as they will, 
But seldom by intensive effort plan, 

Their acres and then those acres till, 

'Tis the path of ease, the average way of man. 

It is not the way of nature, nor of God — 
It is not the way main precedents were laid, 

Nor is it just that man should merely plod, 
Nor yet the way that worthy things are made. 

Man scratches at the very top of earth — 

Uncares what lies beneath the soil, 
Yet slides and glides along from birth, 

But few bear fruit, the fruit of toil. 

No system nor a well made chart 

Has he to follow or to guide ; 
No end has he not e'en a place to start, 

Nor does he know the measure of his stride. 



i6o 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 



ABOUT FACE 

One night a man — a failure — walked slowly bowed 

in shame, 
Toward his home and family with heart and mind 

aflame ; 
There shone a light in his dark eyes, that never yet 

had shone — 
Nor in all his thirty and odd years had he felt so 

much alone. 

No different was he this day, than was he year after 

year — 
No more had he the need of funds, no more had 

he to fear- 
But something came to him with force — and vivid 

was the view — 
It seemed that all his life lay bare from the time 

his years were few. 

He saw his start on failure's path— he saw his 
winding way — 

He looked far back into his youth — it seemed but 
yesterday ; 

So short a time and middle life was here and wind- 
ing on, 

With contemplation he reviewed the years that 
long had gone. 

i6i 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

Years of experience had taught — though thought- 
less well he knew — 

Great opportunities he missed as he had traveled 
through, 

This life though, he well realized, was rough when 
at its best. 

But the smooth and easy one he chose, ignoring 
all the rest. 

There was no one whom he could blame — he had no 

good excuse — 
He had no reason or alibi, to complain there was no 

use; 
The present he knew to be the seed to plant in 

future's field, 
On this depended well he knew, the grade and 

kind of yield. 

Not those of fancy were his thoughts, nor visions' 

flashy flight. 
Nor were they the kind that come in dreams — in 

restless sleep of night — 
But were a backward glance on life — the route o'er 

which he came — 
And shamed he stumbled to his door — to those who 

bore his name. 

His wife well knew his sorry plight, how aimless 

was his way — 
Though capable and of good intent, she never had 

a say — 

162 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Or, never felt that to suggest would brighten up 

his path — 
He seemed self-centred without cause and often 

turned to wrath. 

So right or wrong she humored him and good and 

kind and true, 
She smothered her words before their birth — as 

thousands like her do, 
And allowed him go^ — and rudderless upon life's 

stormy sea, 
So without compass or means to steer, his port was 

misery. 

With resolution on his face, concentration in his 

eye, 
With features spread — ^with the look of a hound 

determined to win or die — 
With shoulders back and chin in the air — though 

withal a kind of grace — 
He said to his wife "here's where we turn" I am 

going to find my place." 

Years have passed since we saw him last; let us 

see now what we see. 
The sight we behold is as good as gold — it is good 

for you and me — 
As the general said to his boys one day "Turn boys 

we are going back," 
Back he went in word and deed, and he won in 

each attack. 

163 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

He tackled his habits that bore him down — he won 

each skirmish there — 
When they returned they could do no harm — he did 

not even prepare — 
He changed his route to face about, and deserted 

the easy road ; 
And as he goes he reaps and he sows and he carries 
a lighter load. 

He found his place a's will every one — of this there 

is no doubt — 
When ever a man is determined to win ani he 

knows what he is about. 
There is in store — and a little more — than what he 

most desires, 
When backed by vim that's aroused in him, and 

ambition that feeds the fires. 

He changed his life and that of his wife, from 
worry and bitter despair, 

Contentment abounds and success surrounds tak- 
ing the place of care. 

So take as a lesson the change in the man who 
floundered till forced by his shame, 

Then driven he turned his back on the past, and 
found his place and a name. 



164 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 



THE SLAYING OF— THE THING 

'Twas a middle western city — in a state of famous 

name — 
Noted for wide-awakeness and commercially the 

same ; 
Its progressiveness was unexcelled — for decades its 

name had shone^ — 
Reflecting reputation where the city's name was 

known. 

The products of its factories reached the lands of 

every tongue — 
And deserving were the praises that were for the 

city sung. 
Always patriotic — in the war had done its share^ — 
And made great sacrifices — just as much as it 

could bear. 

Character was written — or civic pride had 
wrought — 

What certain cities never learn — ^what the cen- 
turies have taught. 

Always had its citizens repelled unjust report, 

And stood behind their merchants with dependable 
support. 

With liberal minds assistance gave to minimize dis- 
tress — 

i6s 



Captain Squires' Comrjionoddities 

And earned the name as well as fame for their 

unselfishness ; 
They backed their enterprises and to principles 

were true — 
And dishonest aspirations were consequently few. 

No grafting politician here to raise his head would 
dare — 

Nor the municipality could he tempt much less 
ensnare! 

But now alas! to it had come a dreaded plague or 
pest — 

And good cause had its citizens to be terribly de- 
pressed. 

For step by step — then leaps and bounds — an un- 
welcome stranger came — 

And now there lived 'mongst decent folks, A Thing 
— the city's shame — 

It had no heart — it had no friends — it grabbed — it 
grasped — it grew — 

It had no shame nor sympathy — this thing no pity 
knew! 



No one ever knew before such a monster — or so 

vile- 
It cared not for opinions — it would only sneer and 

smile — 
It seemed devoid of any sense that better instincts 
teach — 

1 66 



\ 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

And lied and tried by every art the poor man's 
purse to reach! 

It worked not only on the rich — the widow's mite 

it stole — 
And damned beyond redemption — but no — it had 

no soul ! 
No such a thing had ever come — no such vile thing 

as this — 
Had reappeared — if this it did — from fiery hell's 

abyss. 



And yet this thing — this awful thing — 'mongst de- 
cent people mixed! 

And it appeared — ^what most had feared — to be 
permanently fixed; 

It brought to the community unrest unknown be- 
fore — 

And slept upon the very stoop of the honest — ^wor- 
thy poor. 



Up^ — up — and up the prices went — when by all the 

laws we know — 
Down — down — the prices should have gone — and 

statistics teach us so; 
Influence then was brought to bear — the influential 

tried — 
But it accused some other and of course some body 

lied. 

167 



Captain Squires' CoTtimonoddities 

It became a wonder prophet — its iniquities to 

brace — 
And employed intimidation — its merchandise to 

place — 
Then Ah ! Too true the prices soared — on every 

thing we eat — 
The coat we wear upon our backs — the shoes upon 

our feet. 

No limit nor no sense it knew — things grew more 

and more dear — 
Most all grew poor — the poor more poor — but not 

the profiteer! 
Conditions were unbearable — no wages could 

suffice — 
For with every little increase up shot the robber's 

price. 



And things so insignificant — outrageous prices 

brought. 
A dollar had no dignity — and Oh so little bought! 
A cent up to a quarter — no purchase power knew — 
Then — patience was exhausted — people knew not 

what to do. 



One night the city council — with the mayor in his 

chair — 
Met to discuss this dragon — and if necessary — 

prayer — 
Conditions were disgraceful and deplorably so bad 

i68 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

The city's ship was floundering — some solution must 
be had. 

'Twas after much discussion that its youngest mem- 
ber rose — 

And with much enthusiasm he talked as one who 
knows ; 

"IVe arrived at the conclusion that a scheme I've 
got in mind, 

Will prove the greatest remedy that is possible to 
find !" 

"With your help and your approval — the only help 

I need — 
I'll put in execution a plan that might succeed." 
He explained his proposition — ^just what they'd have 

to do — 
That would kill off profiteering — then he went 

and put it through. 

He organized and systemitized — a working force he 

made — 
(And dallied not with details nor with little things 

delayed ) 
He called to him the ministers — the lawyers and 

physicians — 
And made them head committees — and important 

like positions. 

He called the heads of labor trades — their elements 
to lead — 

. 169 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

The officials of the county — the township — and in- 
deed 

The deacons of the churches — this was delicate to 
do — 

And made them charter members — he made them 
leaders too. 

He got in touch with editors — their scribes and 

press reporters — 
He headed this committee and called it "The Ex- 

horters!" 
He recognized and understood the value of the 

press — 
And it proved the greatest factor in a wonderful 

success. 

In secret and seclusion their preparations made — 
With a certain time agreed upon — it would not be 

delayed — 
Night after night — and all night long — their prop- 

agandic brains — 
Worked on to see what could result to pay them 

for their pains. 

And then — one sunny afternoon two aeroplanes ap- 
peared, 

High up in the aerie dome — and circling as they 
neared — 

With propellers whirring noisily above the city 
swept — 

And high above — next to the clouds — but above 
the city kept. 

170 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

And then the air was filled with bills — a propa- 
ganda shower — 

"The Profiteer Bombarded" for an even half an 
hour ; 

And scathing — so like bullets — so damaging and 
true^ — 

The truth had come from out the sky — at last the 
people knew! 

The morrow came and wondering — the people 

searched the sky — 
And sure enough — the planes appeared from out the 

clouds on high; 
Again in mighty circles — they seemed each house to 

scan — 
Then — shower after shower of convincing truths to 

man. 

Many — many — thousands fell — it was like a fall of 

snow — 
And then they read and they believed — they knew 

that it was so ; 
Then conversation started — the scheme was worth 

the try, 
Though they wondered how it started — they did 

not wonder why. 

Then mutual understanding came and common com- 
munion held — 

Caste and class were cast aside and prejudice dis- 
pelled ; 

171 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

The war had taught great lessons — in reality pre- 
pared — 

For just such an emergency — this was often heard 
declared. 

And soldiers, too, who had returned from the great 

and bloody war — 
Displayed no hesitation — this they w^ere ready for; 
They felt the great injustice — which seemed as 

much unfair 
As the "Unrestricted Warfare" that took them 

"Over There." 



Day after day the planes appeared — their pamphlets 
to bestow — 

Which dropped with regularity to the populace be- 
low; 

Then people ceased to wonder — but with thinking 
minds became 

To understand their share of fault in what they 
were to blame. 



They had they knew encouraged it — by being sim- 
ply meek — 
By turning when one side was smote to him the 

other cheek; 
They had like some poor pacifist — no resisting power 

to kill- 
But bowed to this imposter and to his imposturous 
will. 

172 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Now like some great religious wave — great repara- 
tive power — 

Took hold of the inhabitants, growing stronger hour 
by hour ; 

No longer were they impotent — but determined now 
had grown, 

To no more cheer the profiteer — but to let him work 
alone. 

Surprising, too, how people took their interests to 

heart — 
As if some solemn duty urged them to do their part ; 
They deprived themselves of every thing but just 

enough to eat — 
And cut to war time rations their groceries and 

meat. 

They cut out every needless thing — old things in- 
stead of new — 

Became the city's fashion — folks simply made them 
do; 

Like gasollneless Sundays- — for a principle alike — 

And to their cause were loyal — their high cost of 
living strike. 

Without a sign of violence — they respected all 

the laws — 
But followed all instructions that were framed to 

help their cause; 
Then here — then there — then great surprise — from 

every side appears 

173 



Captain Squires^ Cornmonoddities 

Reduction sales and cut price sales of self-branded 
profiteers. 

The weeks had come — the weeks had gone — my 

story has been said ; 
But at their feet the profiteer lay mangled — cold 

and dead. 
That Thing — that Thing — that awful thing that 

for dishonest^gain 
Had robbed its benefactors — they in self-defense had 

slain. 



174 



I 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 



WE WERE FIVE, MOTHER AND DAD 
AND US THREE BOYS 

There were three of us boys — there was Mother 

and Dad, sitting at supper one night, 
And we talked of the war and Jim — ^just a lad — 

was crazy to get in the fight. 
Little Jim — ^with fuzz on his face — and Fred, he 

cared nothing for war — 
But I was determined tho I'd recently learned, what 

all of the fighting was for. 
There were three of us boys, there was Mother and 

Dad, eating and talking of war. 

One by one the three of us boys (when Fred's num- 
ber was called he went ) 

We entered the service for Uncle Sam — and in time 
each one was sent, 

One by the way of England, two straight for 
France's shore. 

Now Mother and Dad had given their all, to fight 
in the terrible war. 

Months went by — then Mother wrote; I could see 
her tear drops fall — 

Poor Dad was killed in an accident. Now Mother 
had given all. 

Still there was Fred — a worthy lad — there was lit- 
tle Jim and me — 

175 



Captain Squires' Cornmonoddities 

But small consolation I had to own, we in war, far 
'cross the sea. 

More time went by — those bus}'^ days employed my 

mind and kept 
Me thinking about those shells that burst, or over 

me whistling swept ; 
Then a message said that Fred w^as killed — I got 

the word one night — 
And my veiy soul with sadness filled, Fred — who 

didn't want to fight. 
That left Mother and little Jim — Mother and Jim 

and I. 
And I vowed right there I'd have revenge, or know 

the reason why. 

Then came the great immortal drive — we had put 

them on the run — 
The drive that kept them going till our job, this 

time was done; 
We had reached a little village — we had scarcely 

reached the place 
When something hit me viciously, slam right side 

the face. 
Well they quickly took me some place, to patch 

me up a bit — 
But I guess you can tell by lookin' how mean them 

Germans hit. 

But I got on and got on fine — but 'round me there 

was lyin' 
The finest boys that ever lived — still fightin' and 

a-dyin'. 

176 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

When I could move I always did — so casual like I 

walked, 
Among the boys and kidded them, and cheered 

them as I talked. 
As I moved 'round I saw a face — but no, could not 

be him — 
Then Christ forgive me for it was — my little 

brother Jim. 

Well I moved back — little Jim had died — and 

right there Jimmy stayed; 
And beside a host of other boys, little Jim is laid. 
There was Mother and Dad and us three boys, but 

three of us had to die — 
So Mother and I were now alone — still left was 

she and I. 

The armistice came — and then we talked — and we 

always talked of home^ — 
And we sang those songs of hearth-sides and no 

more will we roam. 
Finally I reached New York — and I felt that I 

was blest; 
Just as soon as I got my furlough I started for the 

West. 
O how I loved my Mother now — much more than 

I had before — 
But I dreaded — ^how I dreaded to meet her at the 

door. 

At last I reached that Western town — and straight- 
way from the train — 

177 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

I went down Broadway — Jefferson — then home on 

good old Main. 
Then I saw the house where I was born — seemed 

strange — 'Twas lighted bright — 
Something wrong I thought, but hurried on — 'twas 

dark and cold that night; 
Then I stood frozen in my tracks — children laughed 

and sang — 
A Victrola played and merriment of a happy family 

rang. 

But I pulled myself together and I rang that old 
doorbell — 

I'd inquire for my mother and of course some one 
could tell ; 

A lady came — I a soldier stood — (in khaki I was 
clad) 

I told my name — she asked me in, but looked sur- 
prised and sad. 

You do not know? She asked of me — I am sorry 
boy, for you ; 

Your mother's dead, my boy, she said — she died of 
Spanish Flu. 

There were three of us boys — there was Mother 

and Dad; all of 'em dead but me; 
Me alone and O what a heavy heart — and O what 

a cheerless sea. 
My father was killed in an accident — my brothers 

the Germans slew — 
My mother died of that terrible thing, commonly 

known as Flu. 

178 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 



OLD SURLY— MY DOG 

Old Surly was no common dog; 

I remember him so well. 
Do you want to hear his story, son? 

Then listen while I tell. 
When I was just a little boy — 

Just 'bout the size of you — 
I had a dog — a great big dog — 

And a mighty fine one too. 



Come lad, let's sit upon this rug 

That before the grate is spread — 
Look here son, see this silken hair. 

And this tail and feet and head 
This rug was once my own good dog- 

This skin with hair so curly, 
Was once a great, big, loving dog; 

His name? His name was Surly. 



He was not cross, as one might think- 

Or as his name implied — 
Least no one ever proved he was. 

Though sometimes people tried; 
See these big feet, and these big toes — 

They often knocked me down — 
For he always played so silly like — 

Just like a Circus Clown. 

179 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

'Round and 'round me he would run — 

As happy as could be — 
And then sometimes he'd get too close, 

And bump right into me; 
Then down I'd go — then sorry like 

He'd lick my hands and face, 
And if I was ever missing 

He'd hunt just every place. 

And when at last he would find me — 

With delight he'd bark and grin — 
And look at me as if to say, 

Where the dickens have you been? 
And if folks some times came near me — 

Unless he knew them well — 
He'd bristle up and growl a bit — 

And if I'd cry or yell — 

Wherever that old dog would be. 

He'd come bound after bound — 
Then stand by me just like a guard, 

A-lookin' all around. 
I loved that good old dog, my boy — 

Just as much as dogs can be — 
And son, it nearly broke my heart. 

When they took my dog from me. 

One night Old Surly broke his chain — 
He was gone away all night — 

And when next morning he came home. 
Old Surly was a sight; 
1 80 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

He was simply covered o'er with mud 
And cockle-burrs and such, 

With a piece of chain a-jinglin' — 
He wasn't fit to touch. 

And then a man — a great big man — 

Came a-knockin' at the door, 
He was a countryman, my boy, 

That I'd never seen before. 
He inquired for my father — 

Said something 'bout the law, 
A madder man I'd never seen, 

Than that farmer man at Pa. 

Well they went and got Old Surly — 

He was sorry and distressed — 
Then he begged them both for mercy, 

And in his way confessed; 
The farmer then took hold of him — 

Then looked at Surly 's jaw — 
Then had my dad look for himself ; 

What d'you 'spose he saw? 

'Twas wool, my boy ; the farmer said 

My dog had killed his sheep; 
And after that for many days, 

I could hardly eat or sleep. 
For on that day they took my dog. 

And shot him in the head — 
And when I got to see him, 

My good old dog was dead. 

i8i 



Captain Squires' Conunonoddities 

Right there I'd lost the greatest friend, 

I ever was to know — 
For besides you, and a veiy few, 

It has really proven so. 
For never have I since that time, 

Ever known such jealous care — 
For where's a friend that's like a dog, 

Wants with you every where. 

Old Surly wasn^t guilty son, 
But he was led a-stray — 

And un-so-phis-ti-ca-ted. 
He was easily led away; 

He got out with fast and reckless dogs- 
Thought he was having fun — 

Then on circumstantial evidence. 
They killed him with a gun. 

But my father kept his hide my boy, 

And Surly still is here ; 
And as long as he is watching. 

You do not need to fear. 
For Surly, son, he never sleeps — 

When asleep or when you play — 
His eyes are always open — 

He is watching night and day. 



182 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 



THE PICTURE 

There's a common little picture that adorns the 

"Poets' Page"— 
Bringing memories In mixture with a force I can- 
not gauge; 
It Is just a little picture^ — so reduced and dwarfed 

in slze^ — 
That to see it as I see It, calls for retrospective 

eyes. 
It has no frame to set it oif, but on merit stands 

alone — 
The work of some great artist on whom fortune 

never shone; 
That theory I won't accept, 'tis some famous mind 

In art. 
Who long ago was recognized with wealth to purse 

and heart. 



It is the scene of harvest — nigh to huskin' time in 

fall— 
And the spirit of America seems to hover over all. 
I see a field of new-cut corn in wigwam fashion 

stand, 
And I see those shocks spread on and on, over all 

the land; 
The scene is but a corner of perhaps a mighty 

field, 

183 



Captain Squires' Co/nmonoddities 

And a rail fence — though straightened out protects 

and guards the yield. 
There's a feeling in the atmosphere — there's a 

crispness in the air — 
Although I see and feel it, it could not be painted 

there; 
But the picture does suggest as much — and of course 

the artist thought — 
That between the rows of new-cut corn, you should 

find the things you sought. 

My mind goes back to when a boy — I see it even 

now — 
I see the blackish, sandy loam, curl from the moving 

plow; 
I see the boy with un-shod feet so blithely step 

along — 
I hear him yelling at the team, I hear his voice 

in song. 
But one suspender holds his pants — the lines o'er 

body thrown — 
With gee and haw he guides the team — the bay 

mare and the roan. 

'Round and 'round the land he goes — his short 

steps never lag — 
Until the plow is cast aside and he's ready for 

the drag; 
'Round and 'round again he goes — clods tumbling, 

rolling yield — 
And then before me vividly, I see a harrowed field. 
Now night draws on. From 'yond the hill I hear 

the cattle low — 

184 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Then I see them trailing down the lane — in Indian 

file they go. 
Now the plow-boy follows them — his tired team 

slowly plugs — 
And I hear the jangling harness — the tinkling of 

the tugs. 
Now he approaches where the cows with patience 

calmly wait, 
And I hear the creaking hinges, as he carries 'round 

the gate. 



I waken from my reverie and again the scene behold. 
And tears drop from my eyelids, for I am getting 

old— 
And maybe sentimental or childish — 'cause of 

years ; 
I say I'm tender-hearted, thus accounting for my 

tears. 
But lately I have noticed, when I think of youth and 

death, 
More touching are the thoughts of youth, than of 

age's dying breath. 
But to the artist's picture — and through tears I 

dimly see — 
More than is on that painting or on any scenery. 



I see the great, big, Autumn moon — so natural and 

so cold — 
Recollecting too, I never knew if of silver or of 

gold; 

185 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

But cold it always seemed to me — and now 'tis rid- 
ing low — 

And with the wind the shadows cast, move slowly 
to and fro. 

In the twilight of descending night, nature's crea- 
tions take. 

Their places and the ascending moon paints reflec- 
tions in the lake. 

The trees — the now near leafless trees — their foliage 
have shed, 

And on the wings of all the winds, to some des- 
tination fled. 

Or on the ground, and nestling — clinging close to 
Mother Earth — 

Preferring a grave from which they came, by the 
trees that gave them birth. 

Riley's 'Trost is on the pumpkin" and his "Fod- 
der's in the shock" 

I can hear his turkeys Kiwah and the gobble of the 
cock ; 

I see McCutcheon's Indians, for Indian Summer's 
come — 

And I wonder, as so oft before, where the smoke 
is coming from. 

There's a sure 'nouf smell of burning leaves — I can 
almost see the glow — 

As it glances from the pumpkins lighting up each 
shock and row. 



O how I'd like to just go back and take that pic- 
ture there — 

i86 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

And to look up my old corn-field, and the likeness 

then compare. 
How I'd like to lean against the fence beside the 

elder bush — 
(And the reason for the longing is more than idle 

wish) 
For 'tis there that all the sentiment, more valuable 

than gold — 
And the treasures of my childhood, more loved 

than could be told, 
Lie buried twixt and round-about where I spent 

my early days, 
Where the sun of this old universe first on me shed 

its rays. 
It was there that golden sentiment — the first I 

ever felt — 
When beside my kneeling mother, I in silence hum- 
bly knelt, 
And listened to her speak those words — that were 

just words to me^ — 
And too, those words are planted there, and in 

Eternity. 
Yes I love that dear old picture; it has brought to 

me so much — 
With thoughts akin to reverence, I most reverently 

touch. 



187 



Captain Squires' Conunonoddities 



TO W. Z. S. 

Upon receipt of request for s?nall donation to help 
build church 

Your letter came — My dear old friend — 
Requesting check, I don't intend 
One moment to waste till my duty do — 
So with this find small sum for you. 



You read me right, dear W. Z. 
And through your note your smile I see; 
Once I had read — I understood 
To do this thing would do me good. 

I see you calmly sitting there — 
Eyes cast afar, and tilted chair 
Lends equilibrium 'midst the noise, 
Of laughing children, as the boj's 
Whom 3^ou had known in days agone — 
Through picturing eyes you looked upon 
Their faces — those remembered best — 
More than they knew with friendship blest. 

Wliat minds can tell — what words convey — 
What causes us to feel that way — 
When thoughts of home and severed ties, 
Bring back to us sweet memories, 

i88 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

Of that old town where you reside — 
Of those departed — those who died — 
Of old acquaintances — and youth ; 
To me it seems man's greatest Truth. 

I hear e'en now those old church bells, 
Their influential tone impels — 
And draws even now as it did then 
When we knew nought of life or men. 

Year after year has swiftly flown — 
And middle life dislikes to own, 
To tell the truth about our age, 
But life goes onward — page by page; 
Cannot go back — can but review — 
Too late — but we can start anew, 
To each of us there is that chance 
To don again our first long pants; 
If I did this I'd sure neglect. 
To do some things I'm doing yet. 

Through all your note I see a drift — 

It is not hard for me to sift. 

As you read me I'm reading you — 

I know the thing you're passing through; 

You have divulged and knew it not, 

Some things you thought had been forgot. 

But sifting through the screens reveal 
Those better thoughts — the ones you feel; 
Those thoughts appear and really glow — 

I 189 



Captain Squires* Commonoddities 

Far more than pen can ever show, 

And sort of psychologic tell — 

And suspended hang 'twixt heaven and hell; 

To some extent I believe this thing 

About us hovers on the wing. 

There is a something telling me — 

It floats about — I cannot see — 

I cannot say I really hear, 

But just the same, I know it's near. 

It comes to me when somber mind 

Dwells sadly on those left behind — 

When I am sad, I am alone 

My gayer thoughts for the moment flown, 

For all I know into the skies 

To make room for my memories. 

It is a help — that sentiment — 

Reminding of each good intent. 

And each good deed done in our youth. 

And graven with the words — the truth. 

The bad deeds will have taught the mind, 

And in each one a lesson find; 

For to make a world — to make a man 

Mis-steps begin where we began. 

There is no doubt that to create, 
We mingle love with kindred hate; 
Ambition's goal — or earth's success — 
Can come but to a few of us. 
But a greater goal we all can reach 
If each himself the lessons teach. 

190 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 

This note may like a sermon sound — 
If that can be then I am bound 
To preach to you — I may not send — 
I will not know until the end ; 
But after I have read it through — 
And satisfied that it will do, 
I'll put your name on its outside, 
Consigned to you, my friend with pride. 
'Tis but my thoughts addressed to you, 
I shall not claim that they are tr^ie — 
For unwise words, no record keep — 
A two-edged sword cuts wide and deep. 

Of your intentions you have told — 
The intention is worth more than gold; 
For to build a church or mountain move, 
Is no small task — no doubt will prove. 

But thousands scattered o'er the land — 

The noblest structures build by hand 

Of man — who with strengthened power- 

Ultra-wealthy at less cower — 

And buildings by whose munificence 

Fade to insignificance. 

I am glad to see the interest taken, 
And hope you may all others waken 
To do their mite, for your good cause, 
That keeps alive our oldest laws. 
Yes let religion hold the lead 
That it has held — and will indeed 

191 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Forever and anon the pace, 

For there is none to take its place. 

Ben Franklin said to Thomas Paine — 
"If I were you, I would refrain — 
I do not know, but I have doubt 
That you know what you talk about." 
Seems strange that logical man, 
Could see no Christ as we all can — 
"The world is bad with churches about, 
What would it be if it were without." 



192 



I 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

TO JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY 

Upon his death Sunday igi6 

Of you the solemn truth is told — 
In words so cruel, in type so bold 
And harsh — although it tells 
More sweetly than could tolling bells, 
That you have gone whence music came 
To guide your pen and to inflame, 
A mind which filled with love 
Has but returned to its place above. 



Your mind contained divinest powers — 
You saw the fields and birds and flowers, 
And little children, the grass and June; 
And a singing voice that sounds in tune. 
In every rhyme that you ever wrote. 
Music sounded in every note 
As if bees and bugs of the atmosphere, 
Droned and hummed 'round your musical ear. 



How selfish is the human heart, 
That with regret sees you depart; 
If this be weakness we lay claim, 
And proud are we to bear the blame 
Of loving and of missing you — 

193 



Captain Squires' Comrnonoddities 

The man so rare, the kind so few. 

'Tis not for man by work alone 

To sow the kind of seed you've sown. 

Tales were told by your ready pen, 
That stood 3'ou apart from other men 
Who also wrote, for you understood 
The kind of verse that did folks good. 
Your homely verse and dialect rhyme 
Will ring and sing down the halls of time; 
I doubt old friend if a thousand years 
Will hush the laughs and dry the tears. 



How little are you by death removed, 
With scarce an effort I have proved — 
And beside the shelving I now stand 
With Poems of Riley in my hand. 
And so if I wish I will talk to you, 
I will know your deeds and what you d 
You cannot then be far aw^ay, 
If we can visit every day. 



God gave me tears for such as you — 
And I have wept, and very few 
Who knew you well but with saddened bi'eath, 
Are mourning for their friend in death. 
You made and perfected a plan 
That you might speak to surviving man ; 
And O what work could be more fine. 
Than your **An Old Sweetheart Of Mine." 

194 



Captain Squires^ Co?nmonoddities 

Sleep on for you, your rest have earned — 

That which you taught millions have learned ; 

And future generations will, 

When your pen and voice have long been still, 

Among the nation's honored place. 

In the hall of fame your name and face; 

And long, long years when we are dead 

With appreciation will your works be read. 



195 



Captain Squires^ Commonoddities 



THE POWER OF THOUGHT 

leave me the power to think as my portion 
And I will lay down all that riches has brought; 

Leave me — O leave me that far greater fortune — 
That wonderful power — The power of thought. 

How oft I have mused when in deepest depression, 
How oft I have gazed through eyes that were 
sad; 

At the shadows so clearly in dark retrospection, 
But thanks for the power — the power I had. 

1 give thanks for the power, O what consolation 
When I think of the loved ones — the ones up 

above ; 
O wealthy I am for the great contemplation — 
The sweetest of musings for the ones that I love. 



How I grieved when my mother, my dear sainted 
mother 

Was taken at last to her last resting place; 
I wept as I never could weep for another. 

But still I see clearly her dear motherly face. 

The loss tells the value in my own recollection 
How great was my loss that I'll never more 
know ; 

196 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

Yet undying the blessing of sweetest reflection — 
The greatest of treasures we have here below. 

Where there is no loss there is no compensation — 
No power to see the things not understood; 

But where there is love there is representation, 
And our balm is our memory, a power for good. 

take from me wealth and each earthly posses- 

sion, 
But leave me O God the power of thought ; 

1 ask for so little, still the greatest concession — 
Allow me to think as Thy power has taught. 

While I'm here — still on earth — O never deprive 

me! 

Take wealth and near ones and all of my friends; 

But leave me that power that I may stay nigh 

Thee, 

And the knee and memory in thankfulness bends. 



197 



Capta'ui Squires' Conunonoddities 



WHEN I USED TO GO TO SCHOOL 

How I wish that I had studied — when I used to 

go to* school — 
Then I wouldn't need to feel that I am just a sort 

o' tool; 
Do this — do that — get this job done — and do it 

just this way — 
Is all I hear — is all I do — just what the others say. 

I used to run away from school — when I was 

'bout your age — 
And used to feel — just as you say — like cooped 

up in a cage ; 
I didn't like my teachers — they had it in for me — 
And they never learned me nothin' — as far as I 

could see. 

I learned to write a little — and I sort o' learned to 

read — 
But I never learned to figure much — there wasn't 

any need — 
I would always think o' fishin' — or a lookin' at it 

snow — 
But now I sort o' miss those things — the things I 

do not know. 

One thing I know — I do not know — I never was 
a fool — 

198 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

But I come nigh to bein' one — when I used to go 

to school — 
It must be satisfyin'-like — to know enough to 

know — 
All by yourself — so positive — and know it's really 

so. 

My children used to come to me — for one thing or 

another — 
I would take one glance — then usually — I'd send 

them to their mother — 
I used to get embarrassed — and always 'fraid they'd 

ask — 
If I'd do a sum — or spell a word — or some such 

awful task. 

I think I know a lot o' things. — but when they're 

talkin' school — 
I know then what I do not know — and I'm just 

an awful fool — 
So go to school and study — learn every thing you 

can — 
Don't be like me — a sort o' tool — learn how to be 

a man. 



199 



Captmn Squires' Cojnnionoddities 



THE FERTILE FIELD 

If you are willing and mean to be, 
And to do a thing of worth — 

Then list to me and try to see, 
Your share of mental earth. 



With brush and canvas you have a start, 

Great masters had no more ; 
And pen and pad or other art, 

Here lies your stock and store. 



I have no doubt for pick and spade, 
That gold and silver shine; 

In that broad valley wealth is laid, 
Or on the hills recline. 



Great magnitude in gems, so rare- 
Lie sparkling in the sun ; 

But to unthinkers, none are there, 
No, not a single one. 



Most wonderful land of mystery, 
Is this fertile field of thought; 

And it remains our legacy, 
Unbartered and unbought. 
200 



Captain Squires' Commonoddities 

All great men who cared and dared, 
Who honor and fortune wrought; 

Have worked with patience and prepared 
Upon this field of thought. 

But he who would have quality, 
Must keep down tare and weed; 

And plough deep with sincerity, 
Then sow the best of seed. 

Then cultivate, to get good yield, 
Great crops you will induce; 

To grow and prosper in this great field, 
Great deeds it will produce. 



201 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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